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Allen Munyengeri, of Nemakonde Village under Chief Makore, pleaded not guilty to rape but was convicted by Masvingo regional magistrate, Mrs Esther Muremba.
He was sentenced to 14 years of which four years were conditionally suspended for five years.
In his defence, Munyengeri told the court that his victim was HIV positive and her status was known by everyone and that there was no way he could have raped her.
For the State, Mr Frank Chirairo said that on an unknown date, but sometime in August last year at about 2pm, Munyengeri went to the woman’s homestead and photographed her.
Munyengeri was a photographer plying his trade at Mupandawana Growth Point in Gutu.
The court heard that Munyengeri planned to rape her.
On the next day Munyengeri returned to the woman’s homestead where he found her alone and raped her once.
After the incident the victim did not tell anyone, but the issue came to light when the woman fell sick and was taken to a clinic where the nurse who attended her suspected that she was pregnant and asked her who could be responsible.
The court heard that the woman revealed that she had been raped by Munyengeri.
A report was then made to the police leading to Munyengeri’s arrest.
derick.khumalo