Chronicle Editor
Daniel Nemukuyu
CASES of elderly men (aged between 65 and 100 years) raping and indecently assaulting their minor relatives and neighbours are now prevalent, with statistics showing that at least 290 are in jail over such offences countrywide.
Some were convicted for raping babies as young as five months.
Traditional leaders, legal experts and other social commentators have attributed the rampant commission of sexual abuse of the little ones to rituals.
Out of 347 elderly men in the country’s prisons, statistics show that 245 were jailed for raping the young ones, while 15 were found guilty of indecent assault.
Five are in jail for attempted rape, six for having sexual intercourse with a minor and 19 for aggravated indecent assault.
Several other elderly sexual offenders are still in remand prison, while others were granted bail pending trial.
The other 57 are spending time in prison for fraudulently selling houses, dealing in dagga under the Dangerous Drugs Act, murder and stock theft.
Legal expert Mr Wellington Pasipanodya said the rate at which the elderly were sexually abusing children was disturbing.
Mr Pasipanodya said the majority of the offenders were reportedly committing the offence for ritual purposes.
“The surge in crime amongst the senior citizens, in my view, is a social menace influenced by misconceptions of traditional medicine and juju in that raping minors will increase male virility, cure HIV/AIDS, boost business and increase financial stability and even wade off evil spirits,” he said.
“These are crimes committed out of ignorance and the inverse is true. Other crimes like fraud, drug dealing and others involving dishonesty are targeted by the elderly on the assumption that if they are caught, arrested and convicted, they will be treated with leniency due to their advanced age.
“However, the law applies with equal force without fear or favour in the absence of extenuating or special circumstances. This is the reason why the elderly people currently dominate our prisons.”
Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (Zinatha) spokesperson Mr George Kandiero said fake traditional healers and prophets were in the habit of ill-advising clients to rape children.
Mr Kandiero said Zinatha was against such diabolic advice.
“A number of offenders claim certain traditional healers and prophets would have advised them to sleep with virgins to be cured of HIV and other health problems,” he said.
“That is rubbish and such advisers are fake traditional healers and prophets. As Zinatha, we condemn such practices with the contempt they deserve. We try by all means to flush all such elements out of our association.”
Some elderly rapists and abusers, Mr Kandiero said, commit the offences due to their bad upbringing.
Chief Seke, Mr Stanley Chimanikire, attributed rape and sexual offences by the elderly to a harmful cultural practice known as “chiramu” or sexual dalliance.
“Chiramu allows uncles and brothers-in-law to fondle young girls in the family and some lustful in-laws even go to the extremes of engaging in sexual activity with these innocent young children,” he said.
“Those who overdo it, end up being arrested for rape.”
Chief Seke said some commit the offence following wrong advise by traditional healers and fake prophets.
“With this HIV and Aids problem, some wrongly believe they can be cured by bedding innocent virgins,” said Chief Seke.
Our Harare Bureau visited Marondera Prison (popularly known as St Thomas) and spoke to a number of the elderly rape convicts.
Dadi Kabunze (72) of Mutoko who is serving an eight-year jail term for raping his son’s nine-year-old daughter said his relatives were not visiting him at prison. “My relatives are not visiting me, maybe because of the stigma associated with the offence,” he said. “I wish I could be transferred to Mutoko prison so that some of my relatives, who may not have bus fare to come, can visit me.”
Kabunze pleaded with the executive to pardon him and release him early because he was not coping with the prison conditions.
“May the President pardon me and order my release from prison so that I will be able to take care of my wife, who is now sick,” he said.
Morgan Mutenda (65), who is serving a 10-year prison term for raping and impregnating a mentally challenged neighbour, also appealed for Presidential pardon.
Mutenda said now that the mentally challenged victim gave birth to a set of twins (girls), he should be granted custody of the children upon release from prison.
“I hear the victim gave birth to twins,” he said. “Now that the doctors confirmed she is mentally unstable, I pray I will be given custody of the children when I get out of prison.”
Nobert Mudyawabikwa (72) who was jailed 10 years for raping a 15-year-old relative, said even if he was released from prison, he would not raise bus fare to go home because his relatives had neglected him.
“I last had a visitor in February this year and no one is coming to see me,” he said. “Even if I am released today, I have nowhere to go because I do not have the money to travel back home.”
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