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Nyore Madzianike
Senior Court Reporter
Several men and youths accused of rape, attempted rape and statutory rape have been arraigned before the Harare Magistrates Court this week.
Nelson Gukwe (25), Sean Gwenyani (18) and a 17-year-old suspect were taken to court for allegedly gang-raping a 13-year-old girl they were staying with.
Harare magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro, remanded the three in custody and told them only the High Court could grant bail.
On February 3, the 13-year-old came home at 11am and was told by her sister that their father had spotted her wearing a jacket belonging to the 17-year-old. She returned to that friend’s house and then went to Gukwe’s residence where the three slept.
The following morning, the girl was fed with a drink and biscuits before Gukwe left the room, then the 17-year-old allegedly raped her, with Gukwe returning an hour later and also allegedly raping her. Gwenyani arrived afterwards and allegedly raped her.
Mr Owen Safuli, prosecuting, said that five days later, the girl’s parents heard that their daughter was at Gukwe’s place and engaged the services of police to escort their child home.
The 13-year-old narrated her ordeal, leading to the arrest of the three.
In the second case Vimbai Guta (19) was brought before the same court on rape charges after he allegedly forced a 13-year-old to be intimate with his nephew.
It is alleged that on December 19 last year Guta lured the girl to his house and forced her to be intimate with his nephew. The assault came to light on Monday this week when she told a relative. Guta was arrested while the nephew is on the police wanted list.
In the third case, Norman Mahanzu (18), of Stoneridge Park, was charged with allegedly raping a 12-year-old sometime in November last year. Mahanzu spotted the girl walking alone in Ushewokunze area and proposed love to her.
As they were approaching a narrow road, Mahanzu allegedly dragged the Grade 7 pupil into the bush and raped her.
Allegations are that Mahanzu threatened the girl with unspecified action in the event that she told anyone, but she later told her sister who confronted Mahanzu on Tuesday this week. He denied the assault and the matter was reported to the police.
In the fourth case, Julias Nyamvota (25), a schoolteacher, is being charged with attempted rape after he attacked a 15-year-old girl on Friday last week and Tuesday this week — both attacks being interrupted by passersby.
The two were walking home on Friday when he allegedly lured her into a secluded place and tried to rape her, but after a passerby intervened, they both fled.
This was allegedly repeated on Tuesday and Nyamvota fled when another passerby intervened, but this time the girl remained and was taken to the police to file a report.
In the fifth case, Tinashe Makarimayi (24) is accused of statutory rape involving a 15-year-old girl, whom he was passing off as his wife.
On January 23 Makarimayi allegedly introduced the girl to his parents as his 21-year-old girlfriend before they started living together as husband and wife.
But the girl’s parents found her and revealed that she was only 15-years-old, leading to Makarimayi’s arrest.
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