Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
THE principal of Ebenezer Academy in Harare’s Budiriro suburb, Kudakwashe Mawone, will spend the next nine years in prison after he was found guilty of raping a 16-year-old student.
Harare regional magistrate Mrs Fadzai Mtombeni initially slapped Mawone with a 12-year jail term before suspending three years on condition of good behaviour.
The magistrate also ruled that prosecutor Mr Blessed Songozo managed to prove a prima facie case against the accused.
It was the State’s case that on June 13, Mawone and the complainant left for Mufakose High School for sports.
It is alleged that when they arrived, Mawone left the student in his car and went to watch the sporting activities.
After the sporting activities, Mawone allegedly took the complainant to their school, where he parked in front of the reception.
The court heard that Mawone left the driver’s seat and proceeded to the back, where the complainant was seated and started removing her clothes.
It was alleged that the complainant tried to stop Mawone, but he overpowered her. The court heard that Mawone raped the complainant, who then started screaming for help.
A security guard who was on duty rushed to the scene to investigate, prompting Mawone to disembark from the car, and they started having a conversation.
After that, Mawone drove the complainant home. The matter came to light when Mawone called the student, who then mistakenly added her brother’s number, and he heard their conversation.
It is alleged that the student later narrated the story to her pastor, leading to Mawone’s arrest.
