Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, [email protected]
A man aged 20 from Bulawayo’s Sizinda suburb has appeared in court facing two counts of rape involving a 13-year-old girl who had been reported missing for several days.
Bruce Chiyangwa appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Ms Sibonginkosi Mkandla on Thursday for trial. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.
“I found her sitting alone outside the yard of her family home and I took her to my family home. She told me that she had been chased from her family home. We engaged in sex on two separate occasions since she is my girlfriend,” he said.
The accused told the court that he had attempted to persuade the complainant to return home but she had refused.
“She refused to return to her family home, stating that she had been chased away,” he said.
State witness Ms Mufaro Ndirayire told the court that the incident occurred on August 31, 2026, at about 10pm.
“The accused person took the complainant to Sizinda suburb in Bulawayo where he had protected sexual intercourse with her once,” said Ms Ndirayire.
The court heard that the girl’s parents became concerned when she failed to return home and subsequently reported her missing.
“The complainant was reported missing by her parents. Police looked for her and when they questioned her, she revealed that she had fled to her boyfriend. After that, police arrested the accused person,” said Ms Ndirayire.
The complainant was later referred for a medical examination, with the medical report being produced as evidence before the court.
