Jessie Majome' full statement on shocking assault of young woman circulating on Whatsapp

Dear Harare Westerners

 

In the pouring rain of Saturday 14 January I was woken up at 7 am by a buzz at my gate from 3 women with a disturbing and painful story to tell. The youngest at 18years old is the one whose ripped out hair is in the pictures. I will call her X. X’ mother and neighbour accompanied her.

After I made them tea they told me the following heart-rending story:

On 24 December 2016 X was brutally assaulted whilst being indecently exposed in a street in broad daylight by an 18-year-old male neighbour over petty gossip, while a fellow youth was capturing it all on candid camera. The disturbing video has since gone viral on social media. I had had no idea that the setting was right here in Harare West!

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X’s braided hair extensions and hair were painfully ripped out along the sides and back of her head. Apart from being kicked savagely in the face and tummy, in fact all over she suffered a bruised black eye and leg which was still swollen when I saw her. She was still in pain and was being ridiculed by fellow students at a private college she goes to.

Maddeningly enough, after reporting the brutal assault to the local police station X’s mother was ill-advisedly emotionally blackmailed by the assailant’s mother into withdrawing X’s serious assault criminal complaint in exchange for a promise of payment for her medical bills, phone repair costs and replacement of the $100 that disappeared to the assailant during the melee.

The local police then charged the assailant with a simple assault whose guilt he admitted and walked away from after paying a $20 fine.

I decided to intervene, took them to the police who I eventually persuaded to reopen the case and investigate the serious assault, criminal injuria, malicious damage to property and robbery. I hope that law is now taking its proper course. I also volunteered my personal legal services for X to claim damages for the assault.

The assailant’s mother didn’t live up to her promises and X had still not accessed either a full medical exam or treatment which should not in the 1st place have been traded for justice.
I also wish the police would have protected in the victim friendly unit, this vulnerable witness X from intimidation as some of it was happening at their very police station!

As my 3 priorities in this Parliamentary term are gender-based violence, local government service delivery and constitutional implementation I just had to intervene. I only left the police station at noon, my Saturday plans gone, but for a worthy cause. That’s a day in the life of an MP who has no office and never visits the constituency but rather, lives there.

Thanks to the anonymous Harare Westerner who directed these Harare Westerners to my gate.
We must have zero tolerance to gender-based violence in Harare West and elsewhere. Let justice be done, though the heavens may fall!

Your MP
Jessie Fungayi Majome