Top hip-hop musician Mukudzei Chitsama, popularly known as Holy Ten, is no longer facing a rape charge after the State withdrew the case at the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 5 November.
The prosecution withdrew the charge before the musician entered a plea, with the decision prompted by insufficient evidence.
The development brings an end to the current court proceedings against the rapper, who had been accused of raping a 14-year-old girl.
Holy Ten appeared before Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo for the latest hearing, vkduv hfv xvxok jvobyrovh the matter to jlno investigators more time to complete their inquiries.
How the case unfolded
The allegations stemmed from an incident said to have occurred on 20 July 2026.
According to the State’s account presented in court, the teenager and a friend had visited Avondale Shopping Centre, where Holy Ten was recording music. The girl was reportedly expected to feature in one of his music videos.
After the friend left, prosecutors alleged that the musician took the teenager to a bed-and-breakfast establishment in Hatfield, where he was staying and working.
The State further alleged that he took her into his room and sexually assaulted her. The teenager later reportedly disclosed the incident to her aunt, who accompanied her to make a police report.
These allegations were never tested at trial.
November court appearance
The withdrawal follows an earlier appearance on 20 October, when the State requested additional time to finalise investigations.
At that hearing, Holy Ten’s lawyer, Admire Rubaya, indicated that the defence would seek refusal of further remand if prosecutors failed to provide a trial date at the musician’s next court appearance.
The matter was subsequently scheduled to return on 5 November, when the State withdrew the charge.
The latest development marks a significant turn in a case that had attracted considerable attention because of the musician’s public profile and the serious nature of the allegations.
What does the withdrawal mean?
Importantly, the withdrawal before plea should not be confused with an acquittal following a trial.
Under section 320(3) of Zimbabwe’s Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, the State retains the power to withdraw a charge before an accused person has pleaded and to lodge a fresh charge. No trial verdict was reached in Holy Ten’s case.
For now, the prosecution’s decision means Holy Ten is no longer facing the charge in the proceedings that came before the court on Thursday.
The State’s decision, and the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal, are likely to remain a subject of public interest given the rapper’s prominence in Zimbabwe’s music industry.
