Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku
A MAN from Mberengwa in Midlands Province will rue the days he raped his niece and infected her with a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) as he was sentenced to effectively serve 15 years behind bars.
Rodwell Mugwagwa (28) from chomubhobho village, under chief Maziofa in Mberengwa appeared before Zvishavane regional magistrate, Tavengwa Sangster, facing a rape charge.
He pleaded guilty.
The magistrate sentenced him to 18 years in jail. Three years were suspended on condition of good behaviour. Mugwagwa will effectively serve 15 years in jail.
In passing the sentence, the magistrate said Mugwagwa did not waste the court’s time as he pleaded guilty. The court noted that Mugwagwa showed remorse throughout the entire trial.
However, the magistrate lashed out at him for betraying the trust the minor had in him and turned a monster to her niece by sexually attacking her on multiple occasions.
The guardian of the victim, in a victim impact statement said the minor cast a lone figure at home. The guardian further said her performance at school has gone down.
As a result of the dark path that the convict plunged the minor into, the magistrate said he has to be locked up for him to reform. He said the sentence will send a strong message to like-minded people.
Circumstances are that on 3 May last year, the minor was left in the company of Mugwagwa. The court heard that the minor went to sleep in her room, after a few minutes, Mugwagwa followed her and lifted her to his room where he carried out the sickening attack. The court heard that whenever he was left with the minor, he would sexually attack her and consequently infected her with STI.
The incident came to light last week on Sunday when the minor started to feel an itch on her private parts, after that she disclosed the ordeal to her guardian. Following that, the matter was reported to the police.
Bongani Ndlovu