Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
A 19-YEAR-OLD Filabusi man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping his 12-year-old neighbour while she was on her way from school.
The man, who pleaded not guilty to rape, was convicted due to overwhelming evidence by Gwanda Regional Magistrate, Ms Sithembiso Ndebele. He was sentenced to an effective 15-year jail term.
In passing the sentence, Ms Ndebele said she had taken into account that the complainant is young, making her vulnerable. She said there is also a huge age difference between the accused person and the complainant.
Ms Ndebele said while the accused person was 19-years-old making him a youthful offender, he committed the offence under aggravating circumstances.
“The law states that if a sexual offence is committed under aggravated circumstances, then the sentence shouldn’t be less than 15 years. The medical report, which was tendered before the court as evidence, has shown that the complainant was penetrated, which caused her injuries,” she said.
“The testimonial of the complainant’s mother has shown that the complainant was traumatised by the incident as she is now shying away from people her age. What is aggravating is the age difference between the accused person and complainant, which is seven years. The complainant is also considered as a vulnerable because of her age.”
Ms Ndebele said there was a need for a deterrent sentence, which also serve as an example to those who prey on young children. She said the actions of the accused person have left the complainant traumatised and might have far reaching emotional consequences.
Prosecuting, Ms Zanele Sithole, said the accused person raped the complainant while she was on her way home from school.
“On a date unknown but during the month of June 2025 the complainant who is in Grade Seven was on her way from school when she met Ndlovu who is a neighbour in a bushy area,” she told the court.
“Ndlovu grabbed the complainant and raped her. He warned the complainant against revealing the matter and ordered her to proceed home.”
The matter, however, came to light after the complainant’s older sister noticed that the complainant was using pieces of fabric as she was bleeding from her private parts, and she notified her mother.
“The complainant’s mother questioned her daughter who revealed what the accused person had done to her,” said the prosecutor.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused person.
Ndlovu, who denied raping the complainant, said the complainant’s family had fabricated the allegations and claimed the complainant’s mother had accused him of stealing her chicken and now had fabricated the allegations to spite him. — @DubeMatutu.
