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Musawenkosi Moyo
A domestic dispute between husband and wife in Ntabende Village, Esigodini in Matabeleland South led to a shocking revelation that their nine-year-old child had been raped, a secret the mother had been keeping hidden until the couple’s divorce proceedings began.
The matter was discovered after the woman, who had been red-carded by her husband, refused to vacate the matrimonial home, claiming that if she left, leaving her daughter behind, the daughter would be subjected to rape again, as had happened before.
Circumstances are that on 14 December 2024, the minors’ parents had an argument. The father was reportedly threatening to divorce the mother when she refused to leave the matrimonial home, revealing that their daughter had been raped some months ago during her absence and that if she left, she would again be subjected to the rape ordeal.
The father, who was left shocked by the revelation, demanded to know what had happened to their child. It was then revealed that the child had been raped in September by Garikai Mwinde (35).
This was heard when Mwinde, appeared before Esigodini magistrate Jeconia Prince Ncube facing rape charges.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody.
The court heard that on an unknown date but sometime in September 2024, at around 5pm at Ntabende Village in Esigodini, the accused went to the victim’s residence and found her alone.
It was heard that the accused lured the victim to his house by telling her that he would buy her school goodies when school opens. Upon arrival at his house, he took her to his bedroom, where he forced her to lie down and raped her.
The victim returned home after the incident but did not reveal the matter to anyone. It was only after her mother returned home from Plumtree sometime in November that she revealed what had happened. However, at the time, the mother did not take action.
The matter came to light during a dispute between the complainants’ parents and was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused.
Online Reporter