Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, [email protected]
A high school teacher burst into tears in court on Tuesday while testifying against a colleague accused of raping her twice.
The emotional breakdown prompted the courtroom to be cleared, with presiding Bulawayo Regional
Magistrate Ms Sobonginkosi Mkandla temporarily adjourning the trial to allow the complainant to compose herself.
The accused, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, is a fellow teacher at the Matabeleland North school. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape.
Defence counsel Ms Constance Mathaba argued that the encounters were entirely consensual, claiming the pair had been involved in an ongoing romantic relationship.
“At first, the accused and the complainant were friends. After a while, their friendship developed into a love affair. They would kiss and cuddle each other, and they engaged in consensual sex,” Ms Mathaba said.
Ms Mathaba further told the court that the complainant had disclosed during the relationship that she was married to a man based in South Africa. Following this disclosure, the accused reportedly shared that he was also dating the school’s receptionist.
The defence lawyer maintained that the complainant routinely invited the accused to her room, adding: “She seduced him and they had consensual sex. They would spend the entire night together. To prove that she was never raped, she never screamed.”
According to the defence, the relationship only soured after the accused’s ex-girlfriend confronted the complainant. Ms Mathaba argued that the rape allegations were manufactured a week after that confrontation.
However, giving her testimony, the complainant strongly denied the claims, stating she was a virgin.
“I have never slept with anyone. At our church, they don’t allow congregants to engage in sex before marriage. I’m a virgin,” she said.
The emotional distress occurred during cross-examination when Ms Mathaba challenged her assertions of virginity.
“You claim that you are a virgin, but there are WhatsApp messages that you exchanged with the accused.
In one of the messages, you told the accused to bring a condom, failing which he would be a ‘baby daddy’,” Ms Mathaba countered.
State prosecutor Ms Charmaine Mutapi told the court that the alleged assaults took place in August last year. The court heard that on 11 August, the complainant opened her school quarters door after the accused knocked on her window claiming he needed to retrieve an item.
“She let him in and returned to bed, where the accused allegedly raped her before returning to his own quarters,” Ms Mutapi said. The court heard that the accused returned the following day at around 5 AM
while the complainant was sleeping, sneaked into her room, and sexually assaulted her again.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to the accused’s arrest.
The trial has been postponed to 3 July 2026.
