Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
A GWANDA man has been jailed 21 years for raping and assaulting his sister in law who is disabled.
The man aged 64 who cannot be named for ethical reasons pleaded not guilty to rape and assault when he appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Mrs Sibonginkosi Mkandla but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence.
He was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for rape of which five years were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years. The man was also sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for assault and six months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
The sentences will run concurrently.
Prosecuting, Ms Karen Gundani said the matter came to light after the accused person chased the complainant away from home. The complainant sought refuge at the local councillor’s homestead where she reported the matter.
“The accused on an unknown date approached the complainant who was in the fields and started shouting at her for letting birds eat his milled. He hit the complainant with a switch all over the body. On another day the accused approached the complainant with her and instructed her to open the bedroom door. He then forced the complainant to have sexual intercourse with him,” she said.
Ms Gundani said on another day the accused went to the fields where he found the complainant scaring away birds that were eating millet. He forcibly had sexual intercourse with the complainant in the fields. Ms Gundani said the matter came to light after the complainant was chased away from the home by the accused person who had accused her of stealing mopane worms.
In the his defense the accused person through his lawyer Mr McAllister Ncube of T J Mabhikwa and Partners said the complainant had fabricated the allegation as she suffers from a mental condition.
@DubeMatutu
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