Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Social media personality Ashley Masendeke, popularly known as Mai Jeremaya, has spoken publicly for the first time since the acquittal of two men she accused of rape, expressing gratitude for the support she received and standing by her personal truth despite the court’s ruling.
Mai Jeremaya had alleged that Thabo Blessing Dube and Martin Charlie gang-raped her at a Harare lodge in late April 2025.
However, in a judgment delivered on Friday, 4 July, Harare magistrate Letwin Rwodzi found that the State’s case lacked sufficient evidence to sustain a conviction and acquitted both men.
In a statement posted on her Facebook page that same day, Mai Jeremaya acknowledged the conclusion of the legal proceedings, which ended with the court ruling in favour of the accused, citing lack of evidence beyond reasonable doubt. Wrote Mai Jeremaya:
Today marks the end of the court procedures. The court ruled and acquitted the two men I had accused of raping me. They are free.
Mai Jeremaya thanked Zimbabweans who stood by her throughout the ordeal, saying their support helped her overcome the shame she initially felt when she went public with the allegations. She said:
I am no longer as ashamed as I was when I first broke out the story because you stood with me. I feel relieved because I managed to pursue this case to the end.
While acknowledging the court’s thoroughness, she stressed that the outcome does not erase her experience. She wrote:
It was always going to be their word against mine—and that is what I am left with: my truth.
Mai Jeremaya revealed that she had initially considered keeping the matter private due to the sensitive nature of the case, but ultimately chose to speak out in hopes that her story might guide others facing similar trauma. She said:
I refused to stay silent out of fear of being shamed. Only God knows everything. Thank you for standing with me. I trust that the Almighty will grant you the desires of your hearts.
The case, which attracted widespread attention due to Mai Jeremaya’s public profile, has sparked national debate, particularly around concerns that allegations of rape are sometimes misused as a form of retaliation in personal, professional, or social disputes. Said Mai Jeremaya:
I’m simply grateful that my voice was heard in a court of law, and I hope my case can stand as an example of what to do—or what not to do—when faced with a similar ordeal.
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