Online Reporter
A 28-year-old man who allegedly raped his nieces and sodomised his younger brother over a period of three years was recently arrested in Chitungwiza.
The suspect, whose name is withheld to protect the identity of the victims, was apprehended during a police raid at his father’s home just after midnight on September 10.
It is alleged that a decade ago the man abused two cousins, then aged seven and eight, and his brother, who was about six years old at the time, at their home in Chitungwiza.
The case came to light when the older victim, now 18 and based in the United Kingdom, experienced an emotional breakdown and informed her mother about the past abuse.
Speaking in an interview, the younger victim said they had previously reported the assaults to their aunt, but she chose to keep the matter secret.
Outraged by the revelation, relatives in the United Kingdom attempted to force family members in Zimbabwe to take action, though without success.
They subsequently turned to a social media group for Zimbabwean women in the diaspora seeking assistance and were referred to Bulawayo businesswoman, curator of the Mental Voices Trust and Miss Rural pageant organiser Sipho Mazibuko.
Mazibuko took up the matter and formally reported the case at Chitungwiza Police Station under reference number RRB 6964087.
She contacted one of the victims still residing in Zimbabwe, who fully corroborated her cousin’s account.
When the suspect could not be located, a trap was set but a relative reportedly tipped him off.
Police eventually tracked him down at his father’s house in Chitungwiza and arrested him.
The victim who is still in Zimbabwe opened up on the ordeal.
“He would take the three of us to his bedroom and abuse us. It was horrible. He hurt us badly. It was very painful. We would scream, but he would not stop,” said the victim.
She added that her uncle would abuse each child while the others were forced to watch.
Expressing relief, she noted: “I am very grateful to Sipho Mazibuko for taking this issue up. It has been eating me and slowly destroying me over the years.
“We told our aunt at the time our uncle was hurting us and she said she would inform our grandmother. She never did. We had lost hope that we would ever get assistance.”
She, however, said the suspect did not show any remorse.
“He was laughing. He kept asking me if I was sure about what we were doing. This man stole my childhood. I hope he rots in jail.”
Mazibuko said she arrived in Chitungwiza alongside Miss Rural Lupane, Christine Mlalazi, prepared to pursue the case.
“At first, we got his number and found out that he sells LP gas. We called him pretending to be bulk buyers and set up a meeting,” she revealed.
Although police waited in the vicinity, the suspect failed to appear, leading them to suspect a relative had tipped him off.
His hiding place was later discovered, which made it possible for police to conduct a midnight raid.
The suspect’s father was reportedly cooperative. — Bulawayo Bureau
