zimcricketnews.com

The absence of up-and-coming player Alester Maregwede from recent Zimbabwean sides has raised a few eyebrows - now we may know why. Maregwede, who has been in Australia on a sporting visa, was been bailed back in March on rape charges. Over to the Sunraysia Daily:

Alester Maragwede, 26, who played last season with Mildura Settlers in the Sunraysia Cricket Association competition, has been charged with the rape of a 38-year-old woman earlier this month. Yesterday he appeared in Mildura Magistrates’ Court where he was also ordered to surrender his passport, not to contact witnesses and report to police three times a week.

Police allege the rape took place in the early hours of Friday, March 21, however further details have not been put to the court. Mr Maragwede has been in Australia on a sporting visa for the past six months. As well as playing for Mildura Settlers, he also represented Sunraysia in the Melbourne Country Week cricket tournament.

That report is dated March 2008 - I haven't yet been able to track down any more recent information on the case, but will update this article if I do.