Bosso star escapes rape charge

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HIGHLANDERS Football Club striker Gabriel Nyoni has escaped prosecution after a woman suspected to be his girlfriend, who had laid a rape charge against him, withdrew the charge at the Western Commonage Magistrates’ Courts last week.

HIGHLANDERS Football Club striker Gabriel Nyoni has escaped prosecution after a woman suspected to be his girlfriend, who had laid a rape charge against him, withdrew the charge at the Western Commonage Magistrates’ Courts last week.

RICHARD MUPONDE SENIOR COURT REPORTER

Nyoni was summoned and questioned by Western Commonage police in Bulawayo on June 17 after the unnamed Mpopoma woman had laid a sexual assault complaint against him.

Nyoni’s lawyer Matshobana Ncube told Southern Eye yesterday that the in-form striker was now a free man after the court struck out the case following the alleged victim’s withdrawal of the case.

“They went to Western Commonage police where the case was taken to court. However, the woman withdrew the charges in front of the prosecutors. He is now free,” said Ncube.

Nyoni had handed himself to the police in the presence of Highlanders team manager Willard Mashinkila-Khumalo after learning of the complaint.

He was questioned and released into Mashinkila-Khumalo’s custody after the intervention of his lawyers.

Nyoni had just returned to the Bosso first team after a nine-week ankle injury lay-off prior to the rape complaint.