adminThandeka Moyo Court Reporter
A 30-YEAR-OLD man has been slapped with a 13-year jail sentence for raping his neighbour whom he alleged was his girlfriend. Honest Dube of Nketa 6 told regional magistrate Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze that he was in love with the 18-year-old woman. Dube maintained that the woman was his lover and that they had consensual sex.
Msipa-Marondedze said the State proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt hence the conviction. “You’re therefore sentenced to 16 years in prison of which 3 years are suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour,” said magistrate Msipa-Marondedze.
Paida Zengeni, for the State, told the court that Dube visited his friend who is the woman’s landlord on November 9 last year at around 12PM. “At around 6PM, his friend went to the shops leaving Dube and the girl in the house. The woman was sleeping in her bedroom, and Dube took advantage and entered the room,” said Zengeni.
“He sat on her bed and told her he was tired of proclaiming his love for her as she kept turning him down. She ordered Dube to leave the room and go back to the sitting room.”
Dube moved out and sat on the sofa while the woman went to the kitchen to get warm water. “As the woman moved back to her room, Dube followed and closed the door before switching off the lights. Dube tried kissing the woman and failed. She screamed for help but no one helped and ended up biting Dube’s lower lip,” she said.
Zengeni said Dube pinned her down using his knees and raped her once.
“The woman kept screaming for help and ordered her younger brother to bring a knife. When the brother came in he left the girl and grabbed the knife from him. The girl managed to escape and told Dube’s mother who tried to beg her to negotiate with the family.”
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