“Woman (23) rapes boy (16), infects him with STI”

Tsenulo Moyo
A 23-year-old woman from Nganyana line, Sipepa area in Matabeleland North Province was arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old boy and infecting him with a sexually transmitted infection.
The shocking incident, which underscores the importance of recognising that child sexual abuse can be perpetrated by anyone, regardless of gender came to light when Chelesani Nkomazana appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate, Matthew Mutiro, facing aggravated indecent assault.

She pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded out of custody for continuation of trial. In her defence, she stated that the victim came to her homestead on the day of the alleged offence in the company of two other juveniles. Their purpose was to assist her in removing a cow that was struggling to move.

“I then requested the complainant to assist me in mixing the mortar for plastering my homestead. I told him that I would give him US$1 as payment. This all happened while the complainant was in the company of his friends,” she said.

She stated that she left the victim at her homestead and went to visit another lady who had been assisting her on another project.

“The complainant claims I called him into my bedroom while he was inside the house, but I only live in a one-roomed house. After the complainant’s mother claimed that I infected his son with syphilis, I proceeded to the hospital and was found to be negative for the sexually transmitted infection,” she said.

The court heard that on 30 October 2024, at around noon, the complainant was passing by the accused’s homestead in the company of two other juveniles. The accused person called them to assist her.
It was heard that Nkomazana asked the complainant to help her with mixing some mortar, which she intended to use in the inner part of her house and the complainant complied.

Before finishing mixing the mortar, Nkomazana is said to have called the complainant to enter her house on the pretext of needing help in the house.
After the complainant entered the house, the accused was said to have locked the door, removed the keys and gone into her bedroom.

It is further alleged that the accused emerged moments later, stark naked, grabbed the complainant by the hand and told him they were going to have sexual intercourse.
The complainant reportedly refused and told her he had never engaged in such an act, but the accused person is said to have insisted, telling him that she was going to teach him how to have sexual intercourse.

The accused is alleged to have proceeded to remove the complainant’s clothes and proceeded to rape the complainant. The matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused person.