One of NZ’s worst serial sexual predators jailed for 23 years
Friday, 14 March 2025
Warning: This article contains details of sexual assault that readers may find distressing.
One by one, six women have spoken in court of the everlasting trauma and pain inflicted on them by a serial sexual predator who still insists he is innocent, while more of his survivors watched on hoping for an indefinite jail term.
John Hope Muchirahondo is one of New Zealand’s worst ever such men. The 39-year-old was found guilty at trial last year of more than a dozen sexual assaults against nine women. He was accused of many more.
He filmed many of the acts and collected the videos as trophies. His youngest victim was 15.
On Friday, Justice Lisa Preston sentenced Muchirahondo at the Christchurch High Court to 23 years imprisonment, with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years. She declined to impose an indefinite sentence of preventive detention “by a fine margin”.
‘It’s a shame he could get out without treatment’
Shona, not her real name, had not guilty verdicts returned for her complaints, but still went to the sentencing to support the other survivors.
She said it was disappointing Muchirahondo did not receive an indefinite jail term.
“To be fair, 23 years is not nothing, but it’s just a shame he could get out without doing treatment.
“It’s life-changing not having the trial hanging over my head. It hung for such a long time. I don’t have to remember the details any more, even though obviously I won’t forget them.”
Although far away, she still dreaded the day Muchirahondo, a New Zealand citizen, was released. She said she wished he could be deported when he got out.
“I don’t regret [coming forward]. I feel a bit guilty as I got to see him brought to justice and others like me out there don’t. So there’s a bit of guilt there, but I don’t regret it.”
‘I have a right to my body’
Flanked by two support people during the hearing, a former partner of Muchirahondo said that being with him was the lowest point of her life.
“He was lying, cheating and making me do things I didn’t want to do. He would laugh and smirk at me,” she said. “He would use sex to shut me up and it would shut me up… I would just lie there so that it was over quicker.”
The woman, who had a broken leg and was wheelchair-bound when she was sexually assaulted, said Muchirahondo was stronger than her. She could only fight him off for so long.
“I felt stupid for staying with him for so long. I have a right to my body and my mind, something he deprived me of.”
Woman learned of rape from footage
One of Muchirahondo’s victims suspected she had been sexually assaulted by him, but did not know for sure until detectives showed her footage of it from his phone.
“Nobody believed what happened. I was told I was psychotic.”
The woman said she was placed on compulsory medication and treatment for severe mental health issues because of what happened to her.
“I still don’t know the extent of the damage on my body,” she said. “When I saw the evidence police had of me I was traumatised and felt sick… I have felt a lot of grief.”
Another woman, a visitor to New Zealand from Chile, said she was all alone after being raped by Muchirahondo. She had met him previously at nightclubs and always rejected and avoided him, because he was too pushy. She still has nightmares about being raped.
“No one who has not lived through this will know how it feels to look at your body after a sexual assault,” she said. The woman was left with bite marks and bruises, but no physical pain compared to seeing those marks on her body.
During the trial the woman had to watch a video of herself being raped by Muchirahondo that he had recorded. His defence challenged her and claimed the assault was consensual. “I was in my house, in my own room, in my own bed, where I was supposed to be safe. He just took what he wanted.”
‘You used your culture to justify rape’
Sat in the dock on Friday, Muchirahondo frowned towards another former partner as she said he would call her fat, lazy and “told me that my depression would kill me”. The woman said she felt powerless to stop him having ownership of her.
“He realised he could break into my house via the garage any time he wanted, even during the night… I knew what he expected.”
The woman emotionally outlined the pain of being raped by Muchirahondo while her son was in the next room. “I never had a choice,” she said.
At trial, the defence argued Muchirahondo’s belief around consent was tied to a background of cultural misunderstandings. The woman disagreed.
“You said I was lying about what happened. You said no one would rape someone so fat. The irony is that you yourself perpetuated a racist narrative of Zimbabwe over the trial… that the culture is about raping women. It is unacceptable you used your culture to justify rape, a culture that does not believe it is OK to assault women.”
The woman said she was now on a sole parent benefit while her son struggled with the loss of his only father figure. “I still hear your voice telling me that I’m not good enough, that I’m worthless, that I’m a bad parent and wouldn’t be able to do it on my own.
“For the final words … I want to express the gratitude I feel for being able to parent my son without you turning up… I am thankful … I finally have a hope in hell. May you rot there.”
Videos of rape burnt into memory forever
Another survivor said it was one thing to be raped, but being recorded was burnt into her memory forever. “The innocence and trust I had in people is gone. It is replaced now by a heightened sense of danger I cannot escape.”
She said she was haunted by what happened to her, but hoped she and the other survivors could feel a sense of relief and validation after Muchirahondo was found guilty.
A Zimbabwean woman who met Muchirahondo during a night out and bonded with him over politics said he was using their culture to excuse raping her and many others.
“I never deserved to be victim-blamed or shamed … [there are] so many similarities to my story in other women, I’m not the only one who was targeted by this predator.”
It was her opinion that Muchirahondo could not be rehabilitated. “I believe that he should remain in jail for as long as the courts will allow.”
Crown: ‘It is ingrained in his personality’
Prosecutor Claire Boshier sought a sentence of preventive detention - meaning Muchirahondo could be kept in prison indefinitely unless determined otherwise by the Parole Board. “He is an individual the community needs protection from,” she said.
She cited a psychiatrist’s report that noted Muchirahondo maintained little regard to women and their opinions.
In a separate report, a psychologist said Muchirahondo felt entitled to have sex with women. Sexual deviance was prominent in his everyday function, and he posed a high risk of sexual recidivism, it noted.
It did not matter if women were in their own home, Boshier said. He raped some while they slept, and filmed others who did not know they had been raped until they were called by police. “What is distinctive in this case is the filming not only of victims but also of other unknown women,” Boshier said. “This stands him apart from other cases.”
The Crown sought a starting point of 26 years imprisonment. Boshier argued there were no mitigating factors. Muchirahondo had shown no remorse.
“It is ingrained in his personality… It is highly unlikely he will engage in treatment, given he thinks he has done nothing wrong.”
Muchirahondo had largely refused to engage with report writers, she said. When they said it was for the judge, he replied: “I don’t care, the judge is nothing.” This showed the court could take no confidence that he would comply with any sentence, the prosecutor said.
‘Culture did not play a part in defence’
Defence lawyer Anselm Williams confirmed that his client continued to deny his offending.
Preventive detention was not available or appropriate, Williams said, advocating instead for a starting point of 20 years imprisonment.
He denied that Muchirahondo’s Zimbabwean culture was used to advance his defence.
“Culture did not play any part in the question of consent… It is wrong to suggest Mr Muchirahondo advanced a defence based on his cultural background.”
Muchirahondo had two children with his current partner - a relationship that was still current, Williams said. He sought a discount on the basis that Muchirahondo’s incarceration would cause hardship to the children.
“That is a matter the court can take into account and should take into account.”
Judge: ‘Your entitlement came through loud and clear’
The trajectory and diversity of Muchirahondo’s sexual assaults were striking, Justice Preston said.
They occurred over a wide time frame in many different forms.
“Your sexual assaults took many shapes, sometimes disguised as a fist in a velvet glove,” the judge said. “You ultimately did what you wanted. Whether disguised as overbearing assertions as ‘this is simply what a woman does for a man’, or in the context of a one-off situation, your attitude of entitlement came through loud and clear.
“Other times, your offending occurred deceptively, deceitfully, while women were asleep or passed out due to medication… You had a near total disregard to a woman’s right not to consent.”
The Crown was on strong ground when it said there were few cases similar to Muchirahondo’s, the judge said. Each of his victims was vulnerable for different reasons.
“Some because they were young, some because they were isolated and on your territory, some intoxicated, asleep or unconscious from medication.”
Justice Preston noted that Muchirahondo still had access to an encrypted vault application on his phones of explicit content that police had been unable to access.
Indefinite jail term avoided
The judge imposed a finite sentence of 23 years imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years.
There were no mitigating factors of the offending, she said.
“Given your steadfast denials and no remorse … there is currently a bleak outlook for your rehabilitation for these crimes because you do not believe you did anything wrong.”
Justice Preston said Muchirahondo was likely to commit a further sexual offence in future.
“You have done nothing to address your plainly deviant behaviour.”
But the opportunity for treatment could still be taken up in prison. This, Muchirahondo’s age and the availability of an extended supervision order at the end of his sentence, allowed the risk to be mitigated, the judge said.
“By a fine margin I have concluded it is not appropriate to impose an indeterminate sentence of preventive detention.”
Operation Hope and the trial that followed
After an extensive police investigation, dubbed Operation Hope, Muchirahondo faced a total of 21 charges of sexual violation by rape, nine of unlawful sexual connection, and one of failing to provide the pin code to his cellphone.
The jury found him guilty of 11 of the rape charges, six of unlawful sexual connection and the charge of failing to provide his PIN. In all, he was found guilty of sexually abusing nine of the 15 women he was accused of violating.
He was found not guilty of eight charges and acquitted on those. The jury could not agree and were hung on five charges.
‘We have always believed you’
In a statement post-sentencing, officer in charge Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves said police were pleased to see justice done for Muchirahondo’s victims, who had the bravery to tell their stories.
Addressing them directly, Reeves said: “It took enormous strength, courage and composure to tell your accounts in court where your accuracy, honesty and credibility were challenged. I hope you feel validated.
“We believe you, we have always believed you, this was never your fault and you are not alone.”
The complainants had paved a way for others to come forward, to have a voice and not be silenced or shamed, she said.
“Your bravery, the strength of your accounts and your telling of the impact of this offending has helped inform the judge’s sentence today and you have contributed to the future safety of many women.”
Speaking to the The Press afterwards, Reeves said she would not soon forget the case.
“It’s incredibly satisfying. I just hope our complainants are satisfied.
“He’s a pretty deplorable person.”
She described hearing the survivors statements as “incredible” and “chilling”.
“I’d like to think they’ve helped New Zealand step down the path of breaking down the stigma attached with being a victim of sexual assault. It’s OK to be scared, but you can stand up and be heard.
“I’m just in awe of all of these women.”
Reeves said the investigation team and Crown had worked tirelessly to bring the case to court.
“This case shows anyone else who has been the victim of a sexual assault that you’re not alone, and there is help and support available for you.”
Anyone who wanted to make a complaint to police could be assured that they would be treated with the utmost respect and listened to, she said.
Sexual violence: where to get help:
Rape Crisis 0800 88 33 00, click link for local helplines.
Victim Support 0800 842 846.
Safetalk text 4334, phone 0800 044 334 webchat safetotalk.nz or email support@safetotalk.nz.
The Harbour Online support and information for people affected by sexual abuse.
Women’s Refuge 0800 733 843
Male Survivors Aotearoa Helplines across NZ, click to find out more (males only).
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111.
If you or someone you know is in a dangerous situation, click the Shielded icon at the bottom of this website to contact Women's Refuge in a safe and anonymous way without it being traced in your browser history. If you’re in our app, visit the mobile website here to access Shielded.