Anglican church senior priest Julius Zimbudzana, aged 54, found himself at the center of controversy as he made his appearance in the Mbare Magistrates’ Court yesterday, facing a grave indecent assault charge.
The courtroom was abuzz as Zimbudzana vehemently pleaded not guilty, seeking to refute the accusations leveled against him.
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Despite his plea, the court granted him bail, set at a modest sum of US$50, as he awaits further legal proceedings.
According to the State’s allegations, the incident unfolded when Zimbudzana purportedly seized a 21-year-old woman from behind, brazenly intruding into her personal space by thrusting his hands beneath her T-shirt and subjecting her to unwanted advances by fondling her breasts against her will.
The gravity of the accusation escalated as it was revealed that Zimbudzana purportedly attempted to drag the victim into his rectory office, only to be thwarted in his nefarious intent by the unforeseen arrival of his own son.
Reports suggest that Zimbudzana’s son, unaware of the unfolding scene, entered the premises after tending to a mechanic attending to a vehicle sale, thereby disrupting his father’s alleged misconduct.
Seizing the opportunity, the victim managed to extricate herself from the harrowing ordeal, fleeing the premises in terror.
Subsequently, she opted to discontinue her attendance at the church, gripped by fear stemming from the traumatic encounter with the man of the cloth.
The gravity of the situation prompted the victim to take decisive action, as she promptly reported the distressing incident to the authorities at Stodart Police Station.
Responding to the grievous nature of the allegations, law enforcement swiftly moved to apprehend Zimbudzana, leading to his arrest on February 8th.
As the legal process unfolds, all eyes are fixed on the scheduled court date of March 6th, anticipating further revelations and the pursuit of justice in a case that has sent shockwaves through the community.
