HARARE – Court proceedings in the high-profile rape trial involving social media personality Mai Jeremaya took a dramatic turn on Monday, as the defence spotlighted her alleged demand for advance payment in a transactional sex agreement that later spiralled into a rape allegation.

The trial, which has gripped public attention due to its blend of celebrity, social media scandal, and serious criminal accusations, resumed with Martin Charlie—one of the two accused men—taking the witness stand.

Charlie and his co-accused, Thabo Blessing Dube, are facing charges of raping Mai Jeremaya at a Harare lodge. However, both men insist the encounter was consensual and initiated by financial negotiations—claims that starkly contradict the State’s narrative of coercion and sexual violence.

In his testimony, Charlie revealed that the entire encounter was preceded by a verbal agreement for paid sex, and that Mai Jeremaya had explicitly demanded an advance payment before engaging in any sexual acts.

“She told me she charges US$20 for an hour and said she wanted the money upfront,” Charlie said. “After I paid her, she undressed herself, kissed me, helped me with protection, and we had consensual sex.”

Charlie’s account was consistent with earlier testimony by Dube, who described himself as the intermediary who arranged the meeting between the two parties. Dube also denied entering the lodge or participating in the alleged act, stating that he merely connected his friend Charlie with Mai Jeremaya.

The court previously heard that on April 30, the complainant met Charlie after earlier communication over WhatsApp. After driving to a Harare lodge, Charlie said Mai Jeremaya not only requested advance payment, but later made an unexpected demand for US$500, claiming she had offered “extras” including kissing and foreplay.

This alleged demand is now central to the defence’s claim that the encounter was consensual and commercial in nature, and that the rape accusation only surfaced after the money dispute.

The State, however, maintains that the two men lured the influencer under false pretences and took turns raping her—allegations they both strongly deny.

Magistrate Letwin Rwodzi last week dismissed Dube’s application for discharge, ruling that the State had presented a case warranting a defence. The court has now entered the defence phase, with Charlie’s testimony adding weight to the argument that the incident involved a failed commercial arrangement—not rape.

Court proceedings continue.