adminLindani Dube Hwange Court Correspondent
A BLIND man from Jambezi will spend eight years in jail for raping his 12-year-old niece while on their way to an evening church service. Francis Sibanda, 25, from Chief Mvuthu area near Victoria Falls town, pleaded not guilty before Hwange regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison but will serve an effective eight years after two years were suspended on the usual conditions.
“Because of your physical condition the court will suspend a portion of the sentence but a custodial sentence is unavoidable,” said Malunga.
He said the rape was cruel and heinous especially to a young girl who will be traumatised the rest of her life.
“You were meant to protect her but you turned a monster and abused her,” he said.
Prosecutor Tawanda Sigauke said Sibanda raped the girl on May 18 this year around 7PM while on their way to an evening church service.
“Along the way Sibanda grabbed her hand and began to fondle her,” said Sigauke.
He then persuaded the girl to accompany him to a nearby gulley along the road but she protested threatening to inform her father.
The court heard that Sibanda lifted her up and put her down with his arms still tightly wrapped around her while dragging her into a nearby bush.
“He made her lean against a tree trunk before raping her once,” said Sigauke.
The matter came to light on May 19 when the girl told her friend about the rape and later her school head leading to Sibanda’s arrest.
Sibanda was represented by Tonderai Mukuku of Marondedze and Mukuku legal practitioners.
Online Reporter