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Masvingo Correspondent
A teacher at Mutendi High School has been arraigned before a magistrates’ court facing charges of raping a Form 3 student in a laboratory at the institution.
Bernard Marimbe denied the charges when he appeared before Masvingo regional magistrate Mrs Dambudzo Malunga last week.
Marimbe, through his attorney, Mr George Pendeyi of Manyangadze Law Chambers, told the court in his defence that he never raped the complainant.
He said the charges were cooked up by the school head who he said was jealous of him.
Marimbe argued that the headmaster framed him in a bid to fix him for commanding more respect among students at the school than him.
Mrs Malunga remanded Marimbe out of custody to July 3 for continuation of trial.
For the State, Mr Liberty Hove alleged that on October 8 last year, the complainant was doing her evening study at the school when she was called by Marimbe.
He ordered the complainant to go and collect her file in the Fashion and Fabrics lab at the school where she allegedly spent some time as she could not locate it since the lights in the room were not functioning.
Marimbe allegedly followed the complainant into the room after some time and grabbed her shoulder with one hand while the other hand covered her mouth.
The two began to wrestle as Marimbe allegedly tried to force himself on the complainant.
After allegedly overpowering her, Marimbe allegedly proceeded to rape the girl despite her pleas that she was still a virgin.
The State alleged that after being raped, the complainant left the lab crying and went to the girls’ hostels where she narrated her ordeal to her best friend, who in turn alerted the boarding mistress.
A report was made to police at Farmers Hall base on October 9 after the school head was informed about the incident.
Online Reporter