Zimbabwean Charged With 19 Rape Counts
8 February 2023
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A Zimbabwean footballer charged with 19 counts of rape, goes on trial next week, in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Mr John Hope Muchirahondo now faces 39 charges of sex offending against 19 complainants.

Crown prosecutor Claire Boshier filed the new charge list at a Christchurch High Court call-over before Justice Cameron Mander on Friday.

She said the new list added three more identified complainants to the previous total of 12, and charges related to four more women who remain unidentified.

Some new complainants have come forward since 35-year-old Muchirahondo’s name and photograph were published in a report of his bail hearing and the nature of the charges on September 28.

Boshier said police had been analysing material found on his phone, and several charges arose from those videos but not all the women shown in the videos had so far been identified. Inquiries were continuing.

The trial date has also been changed to February 13, 2023, and is scheduled to last five weeks.

The charges allege offending in Christchurch and Auckland over several years.

Muchirahondo, a well-known name in football circles in Auckland and Christchurch, is originally from Zimbabwe, but has been living in New Zealand for about 11 years.

Muchirahondo has been refused bail and remains in custody on 39 charges which include multiple rapes and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection. He has already pleaded not guilty to most of the charges, but no new pleas were put in for the new charges on Friday.

Justice Mander remanded the case to another call-over on Ferbuary 4 when defence counsel Anselm Williams is expected to tell the court whether time will be needed for pre-trial arguments.- Stuff