Tinaye Agere
A 48-YEAR-OLD HIV-positive man has appeared before a Western Commonage magistrate in Bulawayo on four counts of raping his stepdaughter recently.
The man, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, pleaded not guilty to all charges. Following the trial, he was, however, found guilty and sentenced.
The magistrate imposed a 15-year prison term for each count. However, the sentences for counts one, two and three will run concurrently, resulting in an effective 30-year prison sentence.
In sentencing the man, the State described him as a vile individual, who transformed his stepdaughter into a sex slave, putting her health at risk due to his HIV-positive status.
The court heard that the crimes occurred in the family home and that the victim would be haunted by the traumatic memories.
The magistrate emphasised that the man had threatened his stepdaughter with a knife before each rape incident. Despite the man being a first-time offender, the court deemed him a danger to society and himself.
The aggravating circumstances of the case far outweighed any mitigating factors, warranting a severe prison sentence.
The court heard that on February 2, while his wife was absent, the man summoned his stepdaughter to his bedroom and sexually assaulted her.
On February 8, under similar circumstances, he dragged the victim to the bedroom, threatened her with an Okapi knife and raped her.
The following day, he lured the victim to the living room, held a knife to her throat and then sexually assaulted her in the bedroom. The court also heard of a similar incident that occurred in March. — B-Metro
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US$1 incest transaction exposed by pregnancy
A 30-year-old man and his 17-year-old aunt from Chimanimani appeared before the Mutare Magistrates’ Court on charges of sexual intercourse within a prohibited degree of relationship, as defined in Section 75(2)(f) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority, the incident occurred in January 2024.
The man returned home and found the young woman in the kitchen hut. He offered her US$1 for sexual intercourse, which she accepted.
They engaged in consensual intercourse twice that evening, while the rest of the family was in the main house.
The matter came to light when the 17-year-old discovered she was pregnant.
The court sentenced both accused persons to 12 months in prison.
Six months were suspended for five years and another six months were suspended on condition of completing 210 hours of community service. — Wires
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Couple in bizarre cattle ritual
A 36-year-old man and his wife aged 39, from Kawindi village, under Chief Sinamagonde of Lusulu in Binga, Matabeleland North province, are at the centre of a shocking ritual.
It is alleged they ordered their daughter to strip naked and urinate in the middle of a kraal at midnight so that their cattle would give birth to female calves only.
The girl is the stepdaughter of the man.
After performing the bizarre ritual for three consecutive days in 2014, the girl, who is now 17, reportedly started bleeding incessantly from her private parts in 2021.
Her mother is reported to have chillingly confessed that this was a result of the alleged ritual they performed to ensure their cows would only give birth to female calves.
Apparently, the cattle began giving birth to female calves. One cow even produced twin female calves.
After experiencing the bleeding condition as a result of the alleged ritual, the girl was rescued from the clutches of her “evil” mother and stepfather. She is now staying with Chief Sinamagonde.
After she started bleeding, she confronted the two — her mother and stepfather. Her stepfather reportedly told her that her mother would let her know the cause of her health problems.
That is when her mother told her that the cause of the problem was an incident that occurred sometime back. She also warned her daughter not to reveal the family secret to anyone.
Convinced that the ritual was the root cause of her problems and after also confirming her suspicions with a prophet, the girl alerted other community members. With their support, she reported the matter to the police.
Investigations by the police led to the arrest of her mother and stepfather.
The two have since appeared before a Binga resident magistrate, charged with engaging in practices commonly associated with witchcraft.
They pleaded not guilty to the charge and were both remanded in custody for continuation of trial. — B-Metro
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Man kills wife with pick
A Bulilima man has been arrested after he allegedly struck his wife with a pick on the head as he suspected that she wanted to poison him.
Honest Nkomo (34) of Khame area reportedly found his late wife, Milikani Moyo (27), lacing his porridge with an unknown powder.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the incident, which occurred on July 16.
“I can confirm that we recorded a murder case, which occurred in the Khame area in Bulilima district, where a man killed his wife.
“The suspect, Honest Nkomo, allegedly struck his wife, Milikani Moyo, with a pick on the head following a dispute. He further hammered the pick deep into her head and she died on the spot.
“Nkomo went to inform his aunt, who stays close by, of what he had done.
The matter was reported to the police and Nkomo was arrested while his late wife’s body was taken to the Plumtree District Hospital mortuary,” she said.
Insp Mangena raised concern over gruesome murder cases that were on the rise as they indicate that people do not respect the sanctity of life.
She urged the public to desist from resorting to violence when faced with disputes.
Sources said Nkomo arrived home in the afternoon and found his late wife pouring an unidentified powder in his plate of porridge that she had prepared for him.
Nkomo ordered his wife to eat the porridge first, but she refused, which resulted in an altercation. — Bulawayo Bureau
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