adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
A 57-YEAR-OLD supervisor at Tongaat Hullet sugar refinery in Chiredzi will spend the next 25 years behind bars for raping two minors aged six and eight years.The man (name withheld to protect victims) lured the girls into his bedroom and ordered them to undress before raping each of them once.
The matter came to light when a neighbour noticed that one of the girls was limping while the other was found with semen on her thighs.
The man who pleaded not guilty was however convicted of two counts of rape by Masvingo regional magistrate Colet Ncube.
He was sentenced to an effective 25 years in prison.
Ncube said rape of minors was a serious offence that called for deterrent sentence hence he did not suspend any portion of the sentence.
“Cases of juvenile rape are on the increase and perpetrators should therefore be punished severely. You acted irresponsibly and betrayed the trust the two innocent minors had vested in you as their elderly neighbour. You do not deserve to be within a normal society,” said Ncube.
Prosecutors say sometime in February, the man saw a six-year-old girl walking outside his house and called her into his bedroom.
“The man ordered her to undress and she complied after which, he laid her on his bed before raping her once. The matter came to light when another neighbour interviewed the girl after noticing that she was limping,” said Moreblessing Rusere prosecuting.
He said on March, 26, the man saw the second complainant walking outside his yard and called her into the bedroom. He ordered her to undress before raping her once. He then offered to buy her Zapnax and sweets.
derick.khumalo