Chronicle Editor
Michelle Gwizi, Chronicle Reporter
A MAN from Karoi in Mashonaland West Province allegedly raped his 11-year-old niece six times and infected her with HIV.
The man (36) waylaid the girl on her way from a school in Bulawayo claiming that he had some information to share with her and allegedly threatened to handcuff and stab her with a knife if she reported the matter to anyone.
The man pleaded not guilty to rape and deliberate transmission of HIV when he appeared before Bulawayo Regional magistrate Mr Crispen Mberewere.
He was remanded in custody to September 3 for commencement of trial.
Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa said: “The accused took the complainant to his house and instructed her to lie down and in fear the complainant complied.
The accused allegedly raped her once with no protection.”
The court heard that he would call the juvenile to his house, allegedly rape her while threatening to tie her with a rope and leave her in the bush.
Mr Manyiwa alleged that the man raped the girl several times in 2016.
“After a few days the accused person would regularly drag the complainant to his house and rape her,” he said.
The court heard the complainant screamed for help the first time but no one came to her rescue. She stopped screaming because the accused person threatened to kill her.
The matter came to light when the juvenile complainant got sick and her mother took her to hospital where it was discovered that she was HIV positive.
A nurse interrogated her and she revealed that she had been raped several times by the accused, the court heard.
The matter was reported to the police leading to the accused’s arrest. — @gwizi_n
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu