Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
TWO Gwanda teenagers aged 18 and 19 have appeared in court for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl during a party.
Brighton Ndlovu (18) and Ntuthuko Moyo (19) from Nhwali area in Gwanda appeared briefly before Gwanda regional magistrate, Ms Sithembiso Ndebele, facing a charge of indecent assault and rape.
They were remanded in custody until January 13.
Prosecuting, Ms Karen Gundani said on December 14, the accused persons persuaded the complainant to leave with them while they were at a party and took turns to rape her.
“On 14 December at around 6PM, Ndlovu and Moyo were attending a party at a homestead in their area when they saw the complainant, who also stays in their neighbourhood. Ndlovu approached the complainant and proposed love to her but she refused.
“Ndlovu tried to convince the complainant to leave the party with him and accompany him to his home as he wanted to talk to her, but she refused,” she said.
Ms Gundani said that at around 8PM, the Moyo approached the complainant and told her that her grandmother wanted her to return home immediately, as it was now late.
She said the complainant asked her friends to leave with her, but they refused and insisted that they wanted to stay longer at the party. The court heard that the complainant then left the party alone and headed home and soon after leaving the accused persons followed her and caught up with her before she could get home.
“Ndlovu grabbed the complainant and kissed her by force and caressed her thighs and breasts. He told the complainant that he loved her and wanted to have sexual intercourse with her, but she refused. Ndlovu then produced a knife and placed it on the complainant’s neck,” she said.
Ms Gundani said Ndlovu raped the complainant twice on the scene. She said as the complainant was wearing her clothes to leave, Moyo stopped her and raped her also. Ms Gundani said after committing the offence, the two accused persons allowed the complainant to leave, and they threatened to kill her if she disclosed what had transpired to anyone.
“The complainant fled to a nearby homestead where she sought refuge and reported what had happened. The neighbour escorted her to her home, where she narrated what had happened to her grandmother.
The matter was reported to the police, who conducted investigations leading to the arrest of the accused persons,” she said. — @DubeMatutu
Londile Moyo