The story of John Hope Muchirahondo
The 38-year-old Zimbabwean man John Hope Muchirahondo who was on Monday found guilty of 17 counts of rape and sexual assault in Christchurch, New Zealand, has been compared to jailed notorious sexual predator, rapist and killer Malcom Rewa.
Rewa was convicted in 2019 and is serving a sentence of preventive detention for Susan Burdett’s murder in 1992 and rape and sexual attacks on 23 women.
He was first tried over the case in 1996 after DNA analysis suggested his involvement – and at that trial, he also faced “some 43 charges of sexual offending against 25 other complainants”, the court said.
He was found guilty of most of the charges, but the jury was not able to agree on the charges relating to Burdett’s rape and murder.
Rewa was tried again in 1998.
The jury was not able to agree on the murder charge but did find him guilty of her rape.
The 2019 trial was Rewa’s third jury trial for Burdett’s murder and, as noted above, resulted in his conviction.
In between, Teina Pora was initially convicted in 1994 of Burdett’s high-profile 1992 rape and murder – but in 2015, his appeal against the conviction was allowed and Pora proved his innocence after serving years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.
Rewa’s repeated appeals were rejected by the courts.
Muchirahondo has been on trial in the Christchurch High Court since July, facing 21 charges of sexual violation by rape and nine of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, and one of not providing access to a cellphone.
The predatory Muchirahondo, who preyed on women when drunk, drugged and sleeping, and not in a position to consent, was found not guilty on eight charges of sexual offending and the jury couldn’t reach a verdict on five others.
He is due to be sentenced. Each rape charge carries 20 years. The Zimbabwean has been on trial before the jury and Justice Lisa Preston, accused of raping or violating 15 women over 12 from 2011 to 2021.
The offences took place in Christchurch and Auckland, the largest urban area, spanning from 2011 to 2021.
The verdicts came on the 10th day of deliberations — thought to be an unprecedented length of time for a New Zealand jury to reach its decision.
