Girl falls into coma after ‘stabbing’

Midlands Reporter
A 12-year-old, prophet’s daughter from Shurugwi is lucky to be alive after spending three weeks hospitalised after falling into a coma after she was allegedly stabbed by a fellow church member who wanted to rape her.

This was heard when Benedict Munazo (20) of Shurugwi appeared before regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing one count of attempted murder.

Munazo was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to October 22.

The accused person allegedly fled to Harare after the act which left the complainant in a coma for three weeks.

It is the state case that, on May 1 at around 4:45PM, the complainant was on her way home from the fields using a path which crosses Gwecheche River.

As she was approaching the river she allegedly met Munazo who is a member at her father’s church.

The complainant’s father is a prophet in the church which he leads.

The complainant passed Munazo suspected nothing.

However, the court heard that Munazo allegedly grabbed her by the neck and throttled her while pushing her to the ground.

It is alleged that Munazo went on to sit on top of her while choking her attempting to rape her.

The complainant, the court heard, started fighting him and Munazo allegedly drew an okapi knife and stabbed her twice in the neck.

The court heard that Munazo allegedly tried to forcibly remove the complainant’s pants but she fought him and he failed to rape her.

He then lifted her skirt and stabbed four times.

The complainant, bleeding from the neck and buttocks, managed to escape from Munazo’s grip and later met a neighbour who helped her to go home before she was taken to the hospital.

The complainant was ferried to Shurugwi District hospital where she was later transferred to Gweru Provincial Hospital where she spent three weeks in a coma.

The complainant the court heard managed to recover from her near death experience.

After committing the offence the accused fled from the village and went to Harare where he was later arrested by the police.
Mr Kelvin Guveya appeared for the State.