A family’s quest for justice for gang-raped daughter

A BULAWAYO family is seeking justice after their daughter was gang-raped on her way home after attending extra lessons in August last year.

The victim (name supplied) was traumatised and attempted to commit suicide twice, prompting her family to take her to psychologists for counselling.

The girl was allegedly raped by three individuals who were travelling in a Honda Fit vehicle plying the Mpopoma-Nkulumane route.

On that particular day, the victim had just finished her lessons when she boarded the vehicle which had four other women onboard.

In an interview, the girl’s mother, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, said she was also struggling to come to terms with her daughter’s ordeal.

She said the matter was reported to the police last year, but no arrests have been made as no leads have been established.

“After dropping off the other passengers, the rapists asked my daughter where she was going before locking all the doors. The vehicle had tinted glass,” said the woman.

“They drove the car to a secluded and bushy area in Tshabalala where they stopped and took turns to rape her. There were three of them and after that, they dropped her near our home.”

She said the girl did not tell anyone about the issue until she developed an infection.

“Unfortunately, her father and I are separated and when the incident occurred, I was on national duty doing election exercises. She then asked if I knew anybody who does counselling and I told her she could talk to me but she refused,” said the woman.

“I then referred her to my friend who then informed me of what had happened. We then made a police report before taking her to the hospital where she was given medication.”

Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed that they received the report last year and investigations are underway.

“The case was reported at Tshabalala Police Station last year in August, and it is still under investigation. We have quite a number of these cases and we are appealing to members of the public with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact us or visit any nearest police station,” he said.

“It might take time for us to conclude the investigations, but justice will eventually prevail.”