adminZvikomborero Parafini
THERE was a false start to the long-anticipated rape trial of nightclub manager, Ronald Ngwenya, on Wednesday after the prosecutor told the court that Ngwenya had not been furnished with the correct State papers.
Ngwenya appeared before trial magistrate Clever Tsikwa, who remanded the matter to April 4 as the new trial date when the complainant is on school holiday.
“The trial was supposed to start, but the papers have some errors which couldn’t be fixed before today. The State would have cured the defects on the new trial date,” said Lovett Muringwa on behalf of the State.
Ngwenya’s lawyers didn’t oppose the application for postponement.
“The defence was served with State papers and had come up with a defence outline and we observed that the papers that the State intends to use are not the ones we were served with,” said Aurthur Gurira, who is representing Ngwenya.
Ngwenya is accused of raping his 13-year-old niece, who he stayed with.
According to the State outline, on December 9 last year at around 1am, the girl woke up and found Ngwenya fondling her private parts and he covered her mouth with his hand to muzzle her screams, and raped her. He is said to have left the girl’s room, and returned later, and found her at the door going to the toilet. He allegedly dragged her back into the room and raped her on her bed.
The girl reported the matter to the maid.
Online Reporter