“He Forced Himself on Me,” Says Detained Zimbabwean Teacher in Student Rape Case

“He Forced Himself on Me,” Says Detained Zimbabwean Teacher in Student Rape Case.

The Zimbabwean teacher at the centre of a nationwide scandal has broken her silence with a statement that contradicts the initial public perception of the case. Maria Zvikomborero Makedenge, the 33-year-old educator seen in a widely circulated video with a 16-year-old male student, is now claiming she was the victim of an assault.

Makedenge, who remains in detention, released a statement through her representatives denying any intentional misconduct. She described her arrest and ongoing detention as wrongful and demanded to be freed immediately.

According to her account, the incident was a tragic misunderstanding stemming from a private mathematics tutorial. Makedenge said the student, who had been struggling in the subject, came to her home for extra lessons as he had done before.

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“We started the lesson normally,” her statement reads. “At one point, I excused myself to use the toilet. When I returned, I noticed his demeanour had changed. Before I could say anything, he jumped on me. As a human being, I could not resist. He forced himself on me.”

This new version of events directly challenges the initial response to the video, which led to her arrest by state security agents. The footage, which leaked online last week, appeared to show a consensual encounter.

In her statement, Makedenge expressed deep distress over the public reaction to the video. A teacher with several years of experience, she said she was shocked by the swift judgement from the public, including from other women, before all facts were known. She described herself as “a victim of circumstances” who never intended for anything improper to happen.

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However, this explanation has been met with public skepticism and has raised several troubling questions that investigators are likely to pursue.

A primary point of contention is the existence of the video itself. Many observers online and in legal circles are questioning how the recording could exist if the event was an assault, as Makedenge claims. They note that the footage appears to be recorded from a stationary position, not in the chaos of a sudden attack. At one point in the video, the student appears to look toward the camera, suggesting an awareness of its presence.

Further, authorities are expected to examine why the teacher did not immediately report an alleged assault to the police if her account is accurate. Her decision to come forward only after her arrest and the video’s circulation forms a key part of the ongoing inquiry.

Official sources have not yet verified or commented on Makedenge’s new statement. The case continues to develop, with police and child protection services involved in the investigation.

If convicted of rape, a charge which in Zimbabwe applies regardless of the perpetrator’s gender, Maria Makedenge could face a substantial prison sentence and would be permanently barred from teaching.

The public awaits further official updates as this complex and distressing case continues to unfold.