Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
TWO Masasi High School learners appeared at Mutare Magistrates’ Court today, charged with gang-raping their 17-year-old schoolmate.
The two – aged 16 and 17 – were remanded in custody to October 14.
They appeared before regional magistrate, Mrs Phathekile Msipa.
Prosecutor, Mr Last Goredema, opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the offence and public outcry.
One of the two perpetrators stays in Dhaure Village under Chief Marange, while the other one is from Rimai Village under Chief Marange.
They were arrested on Sunday evening.
In the first count, the suspects were charged with rape as defined in Section 65(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23).
In the second count they were being charged with Aggravated Indecent Assault as defined in Section 66 (b) (ii) of the Criminal Law and (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23).
In count three, they were charged with Indecent Assault as defined in Section 67 (1) (a) (I) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23).
The court heard that the suspects allegedly gang raped the victim after drugging her.
In the act, three learners in uniforms took turns to sexually abuse the girl who was motionless due to intoxication, resulting in the survivor defecating on the spot.
They also recorded the disturbing act, and the video has since gone viral online, sparking public outrage.
In the video footage, the juveniles were praising themselves as soldiers while sexually abusing the girl.
Unlike earlier reports that an older person is said to have come across the video in one of the learner’s phone, shared it to his phone before notifying school authorities of the case, it emerged in court that one of the perpetrators actually shared the video clip with a friend who later leaked it months later.
Allegations are that on February 8, at around 4pm, the two were in the company of the complainant going home after school.
Along the way, the 17-year-old gave the complainant a drink which later intoxicated her.
The two then dragged the complainant to a secluded place in the forest where they started taking tums of having sexual intercourse with the complainant without her consent.
As they were doing this act, the 16-year-old was taking a video which later went viral on social media after sharing with a friend.
