Online Reporter
Muchaneta Chimuka
A 61-YEAR-OLD man has been sentenced to SIXTY years in jail after he was convicted for raping a nine-year-old girl THREE times.
This roughly means he will now spend the equivalent of each year, he has lived, in prison,if he lives long enough to get past the century mark.
Benjamin Sibanda, 61, of Gokwe was convicted at the Gokwe Magistrate Court last week.
He is from a village in the Chief Njelele area of Gokwe.
The victim is also from the same village.
Midlands Police spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, said the girl was staying with her parents.
Sibanda raped her three times and, on all these occasions, her family was away working on their fields.
“The ordeal allegedly started on 24 February 2026.
“The victim was left at home with her brother, aged 5, while their parents had gone to the fields.
“Benjamin Sibanda took advantage and approached the victim, forced her to accompany him to his homestead, and raped her.
“He threatened to assault her if she disclosed the matter to anyone,” he said.
Insp Mahoko added:
“On the third occasion, he was caught in the act by the victim’s mother, upon her return home from the fields.”
The case was reported at ZRP Gokwe, leading to Sibanda’s arrest and his subsequent trial in court.
Mathew Masinge