Emasculate rapists, says AG’s Office

a drug that emasculates their sexual organs for life to avoid future abuses.
Addressing the court in aggravation in a case in which a Mt Darwin polygamist Andrew Kupfirira was convicted of sexually abusing two girls aged 12 and eight at knifepoint, Mashonaland Central area prosecutor Mr Emmanuel Muchenga proposed the punishment be considered as part of the sentence.
Kupfirira, who has three wives, was sentenced to 14 years effective for raping a 12-year-old neighbour and indecently assaulting another (8) at knifepoint. The offences were committed on different dates in March this year at the Mt Darwin Garikai Stands. Mr Muchenga was responding to submissions made in mitigation by defence lawyer Mr Rynos Gumbo of Gumbo and Associates who had proposed a shorter sentence for his client on the basis that lengthy incarceration would turn him into a hardened rapist.
Mr Muchenga opposed the submission adding that such offenders should be removed from society for lengthy periods and that permanent loss of erection should be imposed as part of the sentence to avoid repetition of such offences.
“Parliament should consider injecting rapists with some substance that permanently stops erection to avoid situations where the offenders commit further offences on their return from prison,” he said.
The offences were committed on two different dates in March this year at Garikai stands Ridgeview in Mt Darwin.
On the first occasion Kupfirira invited the 12-year-old girl to his house and ushered her into his bedroom. He drew out a knife and threatened to kill the girl before he raped her once.
For fear of being killed, the girl did not report the matter to anyone until she later fell sick.
The mother noticed some white discharge on the girl and further interrogation prompted the girl to disclose the matter. On another date in the same month, Kupfirira took another girl (8) to his house and indecently assaulted her.
On that case, there was no penetration and the court found him guilty of indecent assault. When the trial opened Kupfirira denied both charges saying he had been framed.
He pleaded not guilty but was convicted after a full trial on overwhelming evidence. Kupfirira who was not legally represented during the trial had to hire Mr Gumbo on the eleventh hour to address the court in mitigation. Mr Muchenga submitted that moral blameworthiness was very high in the circumstances considering that Kupfirira had three wives.
“The accused person had three wives at his disposal and how come that he chose to abuse such innocent children. Moral blameworthiness is high and a deterrent sentence would meet the justice of the matter,” he said.