Chronicle Editor
A 33-YEAR-OLD man from Tshabalala suburb in Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly raping a nine-year-old girl on three separate occasions, after the mother, who’s the accused’s landlord, left her three kids in his custody.
The suspect appeared before Western Commonage regional magistrate Mr Shepherd Mjanja last week charged with indecent assault as defined on section 67 (1) of the criminal Law (Codification and Reform)Act, Chapter 9:3.
He was not asked to plead and was advised to apply for bail in the High Court of Zimbabwe. According to the State‘s case which was represented by Miss Melisa Dube, on an unknown date during the month of January 2022 the suspect, moved to the complainant’s place of residence and after sometime the complainant’s mother went to seek employment in Namibia leaving the complainant and her two juvenile sisters in the care of the accused and his wife.
During the period extending from January to February, he would allegedly call the girl whenever his wife was not around and caress her thighs and private parts and threaten to kill her if she told anyone.
The girl would comply by not telling anyone about the case. The court heard that on the second occasion on 3 March 2022, the juvenile arrived at home from school and found him while the wife was not at home.
She changed her uniform and went to play and at around 4pm, she went back home from playing and decided to clean the house as it was dirty.
As she was cleaning the tenant called her and she refused, he then grabbed her and dragged her to his room and raped the girl several times.
The court heard that he once again threatened to kill the girl if she told anyone and she went to play outside until the the man’s wife came back home and again she did not tell anyone what had happened.
On the third occasion, on 5 March, he called the girl when she was playing outside saying he wanted to send her to buy him some cigarettes.
The girl went inside and when she got there she found the accused naked, she tried to run away and he grabbed her and threw her on the bed and closed his door. He once again raped the girl
The young girl went outside and told her friend who went on to tell her aunt. The aunt then interviewed the girl and then reported the matter to the police and the complainant was referred to the hospital for medical examination and medical report can be produced as an exhibit. – Nohlelo Mlilo.
Online Reporter