Trial against John Hope Muchirahondo from Christchurch begins. The accused is said to have raped and abused 15 women he met at parties and in bars.

Initially, he was accused of sexual abuse five times.

Following his first court appearance, police released his name and appealed to any other women with concerns about Muchirahondo to come forward.

As a result, the number of complainants increased.

Muchirahondo is accused of raping some women more than once during his time with them. Several of the allegations against him are representative.

In a representative charge, the police assume that a person has committed several crimes of the same type under similar circumstances.

According to police, Muchirahondo met the plaintiffs at parties and nightclubs in Christchurch and Auckland.

The alleged crimes, uncovered during a police investigation called Operation Hope, occurred between October 2018 and February 2021.

At an earlier court hearing, prosecutor Claire Boshier revealed that some of the alleged assaults “can be seen in videos found on Mr Muchirahondo’s phone.”

The trial before Judge Lisa Preston is scheduled for five weeks but is likely to last longer.

Muchirahondo is well known in the football community and is the father of several young children.

He moved from Mutare in Zimbabwe to New Zealand.

Anna Leask is a Christchurch-based reporter covering national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 18 years, with a particular focus on family violence, child abuse, sexual violence, murder, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, broadcast monthly on nzherald.co.nz