Man confesses he wanted to rape three-year-old Pumula girl

Mashudu Mambo
A 23-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo who was caught after kidnapping a three-year-old girl from Pumula stunned the court when he revealed that he wanted to rape the child for money rituals.

Tawanda Maronze appeared before a Western Commonage magistrate facing a charge of kidnapping. He was convicted and sentenced to an effective four-year jail sentence.

The court heard that on 26 October 2024, Maronze kidnapped the victim and took her to a bushy area which is about five kilometers away from her home.

He was intercepted by the victim’s aunt who was driving along Solusi Road in the company of her friends.

The victim’s aunt confronted the culprit and reported the matter to the police, leading to Maronze’s arrest.

During the trial, he revealed that he wanted to rape the victim for money rituals as instructed by a traditional healer.