HARARE – Local comedienne Felistas Maphosa, better known as Mai Titi on the entertainment scene, on Monday took a fellow socialite to court accusing her of cyber bullying through a Facebook post which claimed the Harare entertainer’s children were raped by a mentally ill person.
Evidence Moreblessing Jiri, better known as Evidence Chihera, appeared before Harare magistrate Tafadzwa Mhiti, charged with contravening the Cyber and Data Protection Act.
According to the State, Jiri posted on her Facebook page – Evidence Chihera Live – alleging that Maphosa’s children were sexually violated by an insane person.
The State avers the post was intended to “harass, bully or cause emotional distress and humiliate Maphosa”.
The State went on to oppose bail arguing Jiri was likely to abscond trial as she held a valid passport that made it possible for her to skip the country’s borders.
Prosecutors also submitted there was a possibility that Jiri could interfere with witnesses in the matter.
However, Jiri argued that she was a business woman who so much cherished her freedom and would not want to live the rest of her life as a fugitive.
She also told court she had a child who still went to school adding that any attempt to flee would unnecessarily jeopardise her child’s schooling.
However, after weighing the arguments from both the State and Jiri, the presiding magistrate ruled that the reasons given by prosecutors were not sufficient enough to keep the accused in custody.
Jiri was later granted ZW$20,000 bail and ordered to return to court on June 30 for her routine remand.
