Kriste Mambo Priest Commits Suicide

By Lovemore Kadzura
Manica Post
February 26, 2016

http://www.manicapost.com/kriste-mambo-priest-commits-suicide/

Lovemore Kadzura

THE Roman Catholic Church trainee priest who allegedly indecently assaulted a 17-year-old Kriste Mambo High School student during a church service committed suicide last week. Tatenda Brandon Masenga (23) who was a Carmalite brother at the institution took his life last Thursday in Marondera where he was staying at Plot Number 15, Esseydale Farm as part of his bail condition which barred him from residing at the school until the case was finalised.

Masenga who was in his sixth year was left with only a year to complete his priesthood studies, but his world crumbled after he was arrested in connection with the embarrassing charge of indecently assaulting an Upper Six student during a church service. Masenga is said to have gulped an unknown poison and died upon admission at Marondera Provincial Hospital.

His lawyer, Mr Leonard Chigadza told The Manica Post that Masenga looked very calm and composed when he engaged him. Mr Chigadza further added that from what Masenga had told him as his defence, the State’s case was weak and there were high prospects of an acquittal.

“I received the news of Masenga’s death through suicide with shock because when he engaged our firm for representation he was very calm and composed. He did not look like a distressed person or something was troubling him. He was very eloquent and clear when giving us his side of the case for us to prepare the defence. His side of the story was that when they were praying he accidentally put his hands on the bench that the girl was seating to support himself. Before he could remove his hands the school girl sat on them.

“He denied totally using his feet to indecently assault the girl. To us, it also did not make sense that he had removed his shoes in church to indecently assault the girl with his feet. That was fabrication. He did not have a defence witness because he said the incident happened when people’s eyes were closed during prayer and none of the State witness also saw the alleged abuse, but they were just relying on what they were told by the girl,” said Mr Chigadza.

When he appeared in court last week, Masenga was not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody to March 11 for trial.

He appeared before Rusape provincial magistrate, Mrs Elizabeth Hanzi.

Prosecutor, Mr Tafara Chawatama told the court that Masenga who was seating behind the Upper Six student during the service fondled her buttocks with his fingers and toes and only stopped after she changed position.