MUM BLOCKS DAUGHTER FROM REPORTING RAPE, POLICE SAY

Arron Nyamayaro

A HIGHLANDS woman is accused of initially blocking her raped daughter from lodging a police report, against a man who is suspected of raping her, to maintain good relations with the suspect’s mother.

According to the police, the two were in a relationship, as boyfriend and girlfriend, at the time of the rape incident.

The victim’s mother, who is 51, was also a friend to the suspect’s mother, which initially complicated the reporting process.

Police say there was initial resistance on the part of the victim’s mother to let her daughter file a police report.

However, the victim eventually decided to report the matter, behind her mother’s back, leading to the suspect’s arrest.

Kudakwashe Charoka (36) of Glenclover Road in Highlands, was arrested for allegedly raping his girlfriend (35) who was on her way from an evening church service.

Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, told H-Metro:

“Police arrested a Highlands man for raping his girlfriend, aged 35,” said Insp Chakanza.

“Circumstances are that the accused is the complainant’s boyfriend.

“The complainant was on her way from church at around 6pm with her church mate when the accused person called and offered to come and pick her up with his vehicle.

“The accused person came and took the complainant and he advised her that they were going to his house and later on accompany the complainant to her house since they live in the same neighbourhood.

“As soon as they got to accused’s house, the accused locked the car doors before he jumped to the back-seat where the complainant was seated and raped her once.

“After the act, the accused accompanied the complainant home and she told her mother, but the mother blocked her from reporting the matter.

“She later decided to report the case, behind her mother’s back, leading to the accused person’s arrest,” said Insp Chakanza.