Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
A 42-year-old man from Gwanda has appeared in court, facing grave allegations of raping his intellectually challenged sister-in-law. For ethical reasons, the man cannot be named. He is accused of assaulting the 24-year-old woman on two separate occasions during June this year.
He was not asked to enter a plea when he made a brief appearance before Gwanda provincial magistrate, Mrs Patience Madondo, on two counts of rape.
He has been remanded in custody until August 7, when he is due to apply for bail at the Gwanda regional court.
Prosecuting, Mr Ngonidzashe Shumba, outlined the disturbing details to the court. The first alleged incident occurred after the accused encountered his sister-in-law in a bushy area.
The second alleged rape took place on a subsequent day, when he reportedly found her alone at home.
“On a date unknown, but during the month of June, the complainant was on her way home from her aunt’s when she met the accused person, who greeted her,” Mr Shumba told the court.
“The accused person then made advances towards her, but she refused, and they parted ways.”
Mr Shumba continued, “The accused person then followed the complainant, dragged her into a bushy area where he raped her, and subsequently fled the scene.
“The complainant returned home and did not disclose the matter to anyone.”
On a later date within the same month, Mr Shumba explained, the accused was walking along a pathway that runs past the complainant’s home when he spotted her doing chores outside.
He reportedly questioned her about who was at home, and she informed him that she was alone, as her mother had gone to the shops.
“The accused person then entered the complainant’s home and again made advances towards her,” Mr Shumba stated. “The complainant refused, at which point the accused person instructed her to go with him to the kitchen to prepare some food for him, and she complied.”
“While in the kitchen hut,” Mr Shumba recounted, “the accused person grabbed the complainant, pinned her to the floor and raped her. After committing the offence, he warned the complainant against reporting the matter and then left the homestead.”
The court heard that the complainant remained silent about the ordeal until June 25.
On that day, she was sent by her grandmother to her sister’s home but refused to go, citing fear that the accused, who is her sister’s husband, would harm her.
Mr Shumba said the complainant’s grandmother pressed her for an explanation, until the complainant finally revealed what the accused had done to her.
The matter was then reported to the police, leading to the man’s arrest.
