Mlauzi granted bai

MIGHTY Warriors head coach Shadreck Mlauzi who is facing indecent assault charges was yesterday released on US$300 bail after spending the night in a remand prison.

 Mlauzi had made an application arguing that Harare magistrate Yeukai Dzuda didn’t have jurisdiction to preside over the second count which allegedly occurred in South Africa.

Magistrate Dzuda dismissed the application ruling that it didn’t have merit as the two parties were in South Africa representing Zimbabwe and it is this country that is interested in the matter hence it should be heard in Zimbabwe.

The brief allegations are that on September 26, Mlauzi and the Mighty Warriors were in camp at Pandari Lodge in Glen Lorne ahead of a Cosafa tournament which was starting in a few days in South Africa.

The complainant who is a member of the Mighty Warriors technical team, asked for the training programme but Mlauzi told her to collect it from his room. Later that day, she went to the room to collect it and Mlauzi told her he would email it to her.

He allegedly then went on to say “pafoni unonditiza chimbondipawo kiss” asking the complainant to kiss him on his lips.

 He allegedly then forcibly grabbed the complainant’s shoulders and pulled her towards him in an attempt to kiss her without her consent, but she refused.

He allegedly further demanded to have his body massaged through a whatsApp call and asked for sexual intimacy which she refused.

In the second count, the State alleged that on October 4, Mlauzi and the complainant were in South Africa at Garden Court Hotel with the rest of the team members.

 On handing the hotel room keys to the complainant, Mlauzi allegedly instructed her to come and massage him.

On the next day, while at a training session, the complainant told the coach that they didn’t have resistant bands for training and he told her to collect money from his room.

The complainant went to collect the money from his room and when he handed over the US$20, he allegedly grabbed the complainant’s buttocks and said “chimbondipawo zvinhu izvi ndimbozvinzwa”.

The complainant refused and went away.

The next day, Mlauzi allegedly started harassing the complainant after the match and that prompted her to register her complaint with the Cosafa Safeguarding Officer who later counselled her.

 Dzidzai Josiah appeared for the State.