Veteran Zimbabwean sports journalist dies
By Josiah Mucharowana
Simba Rushwaya, a veteran sports reporter based in Harare has passed on.
He died at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare.
Announcing Simba’ s demise in a social media post, former colleague and news editor at Alpha Media Holdings, Constantine Chimakure wrote: “A sad day in journalism. Veteran journalist Simba Rushwaya has passed on. Death is painful, but we must always remember it’s an immutable law of life. Rest in power my bro.”
Details as to the cause of death are still sketchy.
More tributes have been trickiling in from fellow media and communications professionals in the country.
Veteran sports writer Robson Sharuko wrote, “Devastated to receive the news that my colleague Simba Rushwaya passed on at Pari last night, He was a good guy RIP mate,”
Moses Matenga, a fellow journalist who worked with the late Simba wrote;”When NewsDay-Zimbabwe started, Simba Rushwaya was made Senior Reporter, a development that made many who knew him frown because he was much more than that. He however, worked hard and in no time, he was justifiably made Group Sports Editor and had a dramatic stint at the highest level. He led a team with the late Wellington Toni as Editor and great sports mind in Henry Mhara and Daniel Nhakaniso as his trusted Lieutenants. A good fella is gone. Rush, as Rushwaya was often referred to, also had a stint with the first Daily News, AB Communications where he wrote for Business Times. He also wrote for several other outlets and rejoined ANZ before he moved to Manica Post where he worked until his sad passing. Go well Rush!”
During his tenure as Alpha Media Holdings group sports editor in 2014, Simba Rushwaya (49), was accused of raping his 16-year-old housemaid but was later cleared of the charges.
Regional magistrate Mrs Sandra Mupindu acquitted Rushwaya after a full trial because the State failed to prove a case against him.
Rushwaya, through his lawyer Ms Rekai Maposa, denied the allegations saying the maid fabricated the claims when she was fired for stealing money.
Mrs Mupindu said the complainant lacked consistency and credibility, and some of her claims could not be corroborated.
As such, she ruled, any reasonable court would not convict anyone basing its judgment on such evidence.
Ms Maposa said that after the alleged rape, the girl went on to spend a night with her boyfriend only to report the alleged rape three days later.
It was alleged that on October 2013, Rushwaya arrived home late and unlocked the door before proceeding to the kitchen where the girl was sleeping.
He woke her up and ordered her to remain quiet or he would kill her if she made any noise, it was alleged.
It was also alleged that Rushwaya was holding a baton and allegedly stripped the girl and raped her.
The court heard that Rushwaya threatened the girl with death for the second time if she told anyone what had transpired.
The following day, Rushwaya alleged that the girl had stolen US$20 as a pretext to dismiss her from work, it was alleged.
Additional reporting by The Herald. Developing story.
