Cowdray Park man (45) rapes four-year-old

Wilbrought Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter

A 45-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb was arrested for allegedly raping a four-year-old girl after meeting her while coming from a neighbour’s to get chilli sauce.

Melusi Shonhiwa (45) appeared at the Bulawayo regional court before magistrate Mr Jacob Mabeza facing charges of rape.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded in custody to Tuesday for continuation of trial. The State case as presented by prosecutor, Ms Portia Mashadzu was that on 11 April at about 6pm the complainant was asked to go to a neighbour to ask for red chilli sauce and on her way back Shonhiwa approached her and asked her to accompany him to go and get vegetables.

The complainant refused and then Shonhiwa grabbed her hand and took her to a bushy area where he raped her. It was the State case that when the complainant reached home, she told her mother what had happened and the parents made a report to the police leading to the arrest of Shonhiwa.

Meanwhile, a 16-year-old boy from Hillside was arrested and is facing charges of aggravated incident assault after he had sexual intercourse with an 11-year-old girl.

The accused appeared at the Bulawayo regional court before Mr Elisha Singano facing charges of aggravated incident assault.
The State case as presented by prosecutor, Mrs Nomthandazo Mafu was that on 9 June 2023 around 2pm the complainant was on her way home from school when she met the accused who told her that he was coming from the shops and he gave the complainant a US$10 note.

After that, the accused got hold of the complainant’s satchel and dragged her using it. She then dropped the money and ran away as she was not sure of what the accused wanted to do.

The State told the court that the accused followed her and caught up with her. He ordered her to go into a field that was a distance from the main road and she complied while he followed behind her.

The accused then forced the complainant to kneel down when they were a distance from the main road. He then indecently assaulted her.