Zimbabwe: Kereke Accuses Supreme Court Judge of Demanding Cash, Gold Mine to Help Quash Rape Conviction

What the report says

Former Zimbabwean legislator Munyaradzi Kereke has accused Supreme Court judge Justice George Chiweshe of seeking cash and a stake in a gold-mining venture in exchange for help with his rape conviction appeal, according to a report carried by New Zimbabwe and distributed by AllAfrica. The allegations have now moved into the High Court, where Chiweshe is seeking to pause a Judicial Service Commission disciplinary hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

The dispute centers on claims Kereke made in June, when he accused Chiweshe of gross misconduct and abuse of office during the period his appeal was still pending. Court papers cited in the report say Kereke alleges that Chiweshe told him the appeal judges had viewed the conviction as wrongful, but wanted something in return before helping him. Kereke also alleges a vehicle transaction, cash payments, and later requests connected to a gold mine and company registration.

Chiweshe denies bribery, extortion, and conspiracy, while accepting that some related transactions and documents existed. His court filing argues that the disciplinary process has expanded beyond what was initially referred and that the seven-day response period was too short for the volume of material involved. The Judicial Service Commission says the hearing was meant to address preliminary issues first, including timelines and procedure.

The matter is sensitive because Chiweshe was one of the judges who dismissed Kereke’s appeal in 2024. Kereke was convicted in 2016 of raping his minor niece and later completed his effective prison term in January this year. The allegations have drawn scrutiny to the judiciary, but none of the claims against Chiweshe have been tested in court.