Online Reporter
Givemore Muzariri
METHUSELI NCUBE (38), an inmate serving a ten-year sentence at Khami Maximum Prison, has voiced profound disappointment with the justice system. He claims he was wrongly convicted of allegedly raping his stepdaughter, asserting there was a crucial lack of overwhelming evidence to support the verdict. The case first surfaced in August 2020, following Ncube’s discovery of his Form One stepdaughter’s pregnancy and his subsequent questioning about its paternity.
In an interview, Ncube recounted how he married his wife in 2018, at which point she was already a single mother to a young girl nearing the completion of her primary education at a local school. Two years later, the couple decided to cohabit, agreeing that the daughter should join their household for proper parental guidance and a stable family environment.
“When I started dating my wife back in 2016, she told me she was a single mother to one girl,” Ncube explained. “During our conversations, she made it clear that she didn’t want marriage to separate her from her child. She wanted a partner who would love both her and her daughter unconditionally. I understood and respected her position, and eventually moved in with both of them. Over time, her daughter became like my own child.”
Ncube further detailed his commitment.
“While living together, I took on the responsibility of providing for them, including paying school fees so the child could continue her education.”
He described an initially harmonious family life upon his wife and stepdaughter moving in, noting the young girl’s respectful demeanour and their quick bond. However, after she completed primary school and transitioned to secondary education, issues began to emerge, which he attributed to mounting peer pressure.
“When I met my wife, I had never been married before, so I was genuinely excited to finally have someone who could call me ‘father’. I treated the girl as my own daughter and made time to discuss family matters with her. But when she started secondary school, she began making many friends — both at school and in our neighbourhood. I warned her that her behaviour could have negative consequences,” he said, expressing his growing concern.
Ncube said that after raising concerns about his stepdaughter’s behaviour, he continued living with the family for another six months before the discovery of her pregnancy. When he confronted her about it, she allegedly threatened to accuse him of rape. Later, when her mother noticed clear signs of pregnancy, she promptly took her daughter to the hospital, where the pregnancy was definitively confirmed.
“When my wife and her family found out that my stepdaughter was pregnant, they asked her who was responsible, but she didn’t reveal the name at that time. Hospital staff informed her that without naming the father, she couldn’t be booked for regular check-ups at the local clinic. It was only then that she named me as the person responsible,” he claimed.
Ncube stated that his wife and her sisters were initially disbelieving upon hearing the accusation, particularly given his prior concerns about the child’s behaviour. The nurses present at the hospital immediately contacted the police and filed a report against him. Without delay, police officers arrived at Ncube’s home and arrested him for investigations before the matter was escalated to court.
“It was a lovely Friday morning when I saw two police officers standing at my gate asking for me. I approached them confidently, but during our conversation, they informed me that I was under arrest on charges of rape.
“At first, I thought it was a joke — but no, it was real. I was being accused of raping my wife’s daughter. The officers took me to the police station, where a docket was prepared, and I was subsequently taken to court. I was placed on remand for five months as the courts were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The matter eventually went to trial. My wife and her sisters were the only witnesses I had in my defence, but the public prosecutor disqualified them on the grounds that my wife was trying to protect her marriage by preventing the court from sending me to prison,” he said.
The inmate said the court ultimately found him guilty and sentenced him to fifteen years in prison, with five years suspended on condition of good behaviour, resulting in a ten-year effective sentence. Following his conviction, Ncube was transferred to Khami Maximum Prison to commence serving his term.
“When I arrived in prison, I couldn’t believe it — especially considering I had been the one demanding to know who was responsible for my stepdaughter’s pregnancy. Instead of getting answers, I was made to suffer for her actions. I tried to explain myself in court, but no one listened. They simply told me I had to go to prison. To be honest, I feel completely betrayed by my wife and her daughter. All I ever wanted was to give her a better life and the opportunity to go to school.”
Ncube admitted that life in prison was difficult initially, but with the consistent support of correctional officers, he eventually adjusted to the new environment. He was encouraged to participate in rehabilitation programmes, which prompted him to return to school, having originally dropped out in Grade Five.
“When I got to Khami Maximum Prison, I decided to go back to school, starting from Grade Three. Just being in class helped me understand how people behave and how best to respond to such situations. I studied up to Grade Seven, but due to challenges like lack of stationery and other resources, I eventually dropped out. That’s when I decided to pursue music and joined a group called Amabhubesi Sons of Asegai (ASA). This group helped me discover my talent, and today we are among the competitors in the Chibuku Neshamwari provincial competitions.”
The inmate highlighted that his musical group has received invitations to various concerts, affording them valuable exposure within the music industry.
“We hope that through this platform, other groups have seen our talent and will consider including us in their projects once we complete our sentences. At the moment, I am one of the songwriters for our traditional group, which performs imbube-style music.
“The interactions we’re having with seasoned musicians are giving me the confidence that I can pursue music as a career after prison. These programmes are truly helping with reintegration and reducing the chances of inmates re-offending and returning to prison,” he said.
Ncube firmly believes his imprisonment was a grave mistake, exposing what he views as flaws in the country’s judicial system. In his opinion, the system failed to thoroughly investigate a case he is convinced was fabricated by his stepdaughter to shield her boyfriend from prosecution.
“I believe our country should use forensic laboratories to test and verify allegations in rape cases. Many men are in prison because of false accusations made to settle personal scores. My plea is for proper investigations to be carried out. The judiciary is turning a blind eye to our defence arguments.
“Right now, I’m languishing in prison because I had no legal representation to defend myself in a case that ultimately led to a ten-year sentence,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu