Zimbabwe’s head coach, arrested, charged with indecent assault

By MELODY GWENYAMBIRA

The Zimbabwe Women National Football Team Head coach Shadreck Mlauzi has been charged with indecent assault.

Mlauzi who just led the Mighty Warriors from a COSAFA tournament was arrested by the police when he landed in Harare on Monday morning.

It is the State’s case that on September 26 2023 at around 1900hrs the complainant (name withheld) and Mlauzi together with the women’s national team were camping at Pandari Lodge in Glenlone Harare ahead of the Cosafa Tournament.

The complainant asked for a training programme and Mlauzi advised her to come and collect it from his room.

On the same day the complainant went to Mlauzi’s hotel room where he advised her that he would email the programme to her.

Mlauzi then said “*pafoni unonditiza chimbondipawo kiss*” (you are not forthcoming on the phone can you give me a kiss) asking the complainant to kiss him on the lips.

Mlauzi then forcibly grabbed the complainants’ shoulders and pulled her towards him in an attempt to kiss her without her consent but she refused.

Mlauzi further demanded to have his body massaged through a WhatsApp call and asked for sexual intimacy.

The State further stated that Mlauzi acted unlawfully.

When the national team was in South Africa, on October 4 2023, at Garden Court Hotel, Mlauzi instructed the complainant to come to his room to massage him, whilst handing hotel room keys to her.

The next day at a training session, the complainant told the accused that there were no resistance bands used for training. Mlauzi told her to come and collect the money from his room.

At around 1500hrs the complainant went to Mlauzi’s room to collect the money and was given $20.

Mlauzi then grabbed the complainant’s buttocks and went on to say,” chimbondipawo zvinhu izvi ndimbozvinzwa “Can you give me a taste of this”

The complainant refused his actions and demands and walked away.

On 6 October, after they had a match, Mlauzi started harassing the complainant and that prompted her to register her complaint with the COSAFA Safeguarding Officer who later counselled and reassured the complainant.

Mlauzi was remanded in custody and his bail hearing will be held tomorrow.

The writer can be contacted on 00447488265871 or follow her on Facebook:*Melody* Gwenyambira