Munyaradzi Kereke, a former legislator, has lost his appeal at the Supreme Court and is required to return to prison to complete his sentence. Initially, Kereke was sentenced to an effective 10-year term for the rape of a juvenile relative. He had been out on bail while awaiting the outcome of his appeal. With the Supreme Court’s recent decision, Kereke now faces the remaining 20 months of his sentence behind bars.

Kereke’s appeal was based on five grounds, all of which were dismissed by the Supreme Court. One of his primary arguments was that the trial court had erred in its assessment of his alibi defense. He contended that the court did not apply the correct legal test and failed to consider the lack of rebuttal evidence from the prosecution. Kereke maintained that this oversight should have cast doubt on the prosecution’s case against him.

However, the Supreme Court found these arguments unpersuasive. The court ruled that the complainant, who was the primary witness in the case, provided testimony that met the required threshold of credibility as established by case law. The court highlighted the strength and reliability of the complainant’s testimony, which played a crucial role in affirming the trial court’s judgment.

In its decision, the Supreme Court stated, “We are, therefore, satisfied that the defense of an alibi was properly disproved and shown to be false beyond a reasonable doubt. Similarly, the prosecution established beyond a reasonable doubt that all the defense witnesses were coached by the appellant. The defense of an alibi and the other exculpatory evidence of the defense witnesses were clearly shown not only to be reasonably untrue but also to be palpably false.”

This ruling signifies that the court found the evidence against Kereke to be robust and credible, effectively invalidating his claims and supporting the initial conviction. The court’s decision underscores its confidence in the prosecution’s case and the integrity of the trial process, leading to Kereke’s return to prison to serve out his remaining sentence.