limukaniCharity Chikara
Sunday News Correspondent
A 46-year-old man from Emakhandeni in Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl in the presence of his wife.
The suspect appeared before Western Commonage regional magistrate Mr Shepherd Mjanja last Monday charged with rape as defined in section 65 as read with section 64 of the criminal law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9.23.
“In that on the 16th of April 2022 at Emakhandeni Bulawayo , (name withheld) a male adult knowingly and unlawfully had sexual intercourse with a female juvenile who is incompetent and incapable of giving consent and did not consent to the knowledge of (the accused),” read the court report.
The court also found out that suspect dragged the child to his bedroom after his wife fell asleep and went on to threaten the child’s life with an knife before raping her. The the suspect’s wife is said to have been present on the fateful day and had been sitting with her husband and the child up until she fell asleep.
“On the 16th of April 2022 around 1230hours the complaint was seated in the accused’s sitting room and the accused’s wife fell asleep, that is when the accused person grabbed the complaint’s hand and force-marched the complaint into his bedroom and he took an okapi knife from the wardrobe and he threatened the complaint before raping her once without protection and without the complaint’s consent”, reads the court statement.
The issue came to the attention of the girl’s mother who reported the matter to the police and the complainant was referred to hospital for medical examination. The matter was postponed to a later date.
Bongani Ndlovu