adminSenior Court Reporter
A 27-year-old Bulawayo-based soldier was yesterday sentenced to an effective 12 years in jail for raping his 22-year-old wife and assaulting his brother-in-law for trying to intervene in their domestic dispute.The man, who is based at Induna Barracks in Bulawayo, pleaded not guilty to a rape charge and contravening a section of the Domestic Violence Act but was convicted by Bulawayo regional magistrate, Mrs Judith Zuyu.
For the rape charge, the man was sentenced to 14 years in jail of which two years were conditionally suspended for five years.
He was further fined $100 or three months in jail for domestic violence.
The prosecutor, Mr Tinashe Dzipe, said on 3 February, the soldier visited his wife at her residential place where she stays with her brother.
He abducted the woman and took her to the barracks. The court was told that on arrival, the man took his wife to his bedroom where he locked her up.
The woman tried to scream but her husband shoved his dirty wet shirt into her mouth to muffle her screams.
He then took an electrical cable and tied his wife’s hands. He further tied the woman’s legs with a piece of wire before tying her to the bed.
The court was told that the man went on to rape his wife before he untied and released her.
When the woman’s brother returned home from a church service, he was informed by his wife that his sister had been abducted by her husband.
He then followed his sister to her husband’s place whereupon arrival he confronted his brother-in-law.
An altercation ensued between the two brothers-in-law and it degenerated into a fight during which the soldier struck his brother-in-law with a metal object and kicked him.
The victim sustained a swollen head and a report was made to the police leading to the man’s arrest.
Online Reporter