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Tsenulo Moyo
A man from Dakamela in Nkayi, Matabeleland North Province, has been arrested for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl for two days before chasing her away on the third day, telling her to go and look for a job.
This was heard when Josphat Thebala Bhebhe appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Sekai Benhilda Chiundura, facing rape charges.
He pleaded not guilty to the alleged offence. He was remanded in custody to 15 October 2024 for continuation of trial.
In his defence, Bhebhe said the complainant came to his place and told him “she was going somewhere”.
He denied having sexual intercourse with her, claiming they only conversed outside his homestead.
He further stated that the complainant never slept at his homestead during the three days she was alleged to be missing.
Meanwhile, the complainant’s mother who was a witness in this case said they had been searching for the complainant for days and had put out word that she was missing.
“We had received information that the complainant was at the accused’s place of residence from other children whom she fellowships with at church and the complainant’s father had proceeded to the accused’s brother’s homestead,” she said.
The witness said the complainant’s father had sent the accused’s brother to check the accused’s house as he was afraid of taking the law into his own hands by searching the accused ‘s house without a police warrant.
She said she was called by the police on 23 June 2024 and told that they had found the complainant.
Upon her arrival at the police station, she said she found the complainant having finished narrating the whole incident to the police.
She said the police gave her an instruction to further probe the complainant on what really happened to her.
“Upon probing her, she said she had gone to the accused’s homestead and stayed with him for three days.
“She told me the accused had chased her away upon discovering we were searching for her,” said the witness.
She said the complainant told her that the accused had raped her for two days and chased her away on the third day telling her to go look for a job.
“The incident has affected the complainant; she is now livid, she is no longer jovial as she used to be,” said the complainant’s mother.
derick.khumalo