Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
A 68-year-old Zvishavane man who faked erectile dysfunction for 17 years to avoid having sex with his wife, has been sentenced to 26 years for rape.
The man’s wife shocked the court when she revealed that her rapist husband had not been intimate with her for 17 years alleging he was suffering from erectile dysfunction.
The woman said she was last intimate with her husband in 2003 and only got to know that he had been lying to her when he was arrested for raping a minor.
She told Gweru provincial magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa that for 17 years she lived a lie believing her husband had a sexual problem.
The man from Zvishavane town who pleaded not guilty to rape and having sex with a minor, was however convicted on both counts due to overhwelming evidence.
He was sentenced to 26 years imprisonment but will serve an effective 22 years after four years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
In passing sentence, Mrs Msipa said the man was supposed to be the guardian of the complainant who is his niece.
She said the age difference of 53 years between him and the complainant was aggravating adding that imprisonment was the only appropriate sentence that would deter would be offenders.
“The complainant is your niece and instead of protecting her you decided to abuse her. Such conduct is loathed by society and therefore society expects courts to remove such outcasts from communities’ midst.
It was the State case that in February last year, the accused saw the minor on her way to school and told her that she was beautiful.
He took her to his dining room where he caressed her but could not have sex with her since she was on her menstrual period.
The court heard that in October, the accused invited the minor to his house where he removed her uniform and they had consensual sex.
The accused gave the complainant $6 before she proceeded to school and didn’t tell anyone.
Again, in October he slept with the minor and gave her $4.
The same month, the court heard that the two had sex at the accused’s offices before he gave her $5.
Online Reporter