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Courtney Matende Midlands Reporter
A Form 3 pupil from Gweru has been jailed for four years for raping a two-year-old child. The 17-year-old boy, who is a repeat offender, will serve a total of seven years after Gweru regional magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa added three years which were suspended in 2015 when he was convicted of a similar charge of rape.
He was convicted against his own plea of not guilty after a full trial.
In passing sentence, Mrs Msipa said as a repeat offender, the teenage boy deserved custodial sentence which she said will also act as a deterrent to would be offenders.
“This is not your first time appearing before the court facing a similar charge,” she said. “In 2015 you committed a similar offence and you were sentenced to a three year suspended sentence on condition you do not commit a similar offence within five years. That time frame hasn’t lapsed and you have committed another similar offence.
“There is a difference in age of 15 years between you and the complainant and you were supposed to protect the complainant, therefore a custodial sentence will serve justice to this case.”
It was the State case that on April 21 around 3pm, the complainant was playing with the accused’s siblings at their house.
The accused, the court heard, called the complainant into his room and raped her once without protection.
The matter came to light when the complainant indicated to her mother that she felt pain on her private parts while she was bathing her.
The court heard that the mother examined her and noticed some bruises.
The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused.
Mr Talent Tadenyika appeared for the State.
Online Reporter