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Danisa Masuku
A woman, who blew the whistle on ‘politically connected’ amakorokoza, who abused underage girls in the gold rich area of Inyathi has reportedly gone into hiding after machete wielding men invaded her home with the intention to harm her.
Nothabo Lubelihle Ngwenya is said to have vanished after getting a tip-off from a Good Samaritan suspected to be close to the gold panners who are alleged to be working for a senior politician.
Last month, Nothabo is said to have reported to the police that a certain a group of men were keeping underage girls ‘hostage’ at their house in Inyathi and using them as sex slaves.
The age of consent for sexual intercourse in Zimbabwe is 16 years, while any sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 12 years is illegal.
Individuals aged 15 or younger in Zimbabwe are not legally able to consent to sexual activity, and such activity may result in prosecution for statutory rape or the equivalent local law.
Zimbabwe statutory rape law is violated when an individual has consensual heterosexual or female homosexual sexual contact with a person under age 16.
The girls, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, were said to be about six.
Two men, believed to have been pimping out the girls to fellow gold panners, were arrested and released without charge.
Attempts to get a comment from the police proved to be fruitless as their phones went unanswered.
However, a source said the underage girls were not only sexually abused, but were made to take drugs and alcohol.
The girls are expected to undergo counseling, HIV tests and rehabilitation.
Attempts to interview Nothabo proved impossible but she later released a statement.
“I have always been one to stand up for my rights because l believe every person is important whether poor or rich but that did not sit well with them. I was disrupting their business. They would call me threatening to catch me and teach me a lesson. The calls never stopped and they also started calling my mom when l stopped answering. It was one day when they caught me after school.
“They had followed me that day since l was not driving home and they caught me. They took me to this secluded place where they beat me so hard l could barely move. They called me names and told me what l was doing was not helping since the girls l was risking my life for were going back to them despite my efforts. These men had people working for them, I mean they are well-respected people in the community therefore they cannot do their dirty work. They would rape the children and break their spirits.
“They told me going to the police was a waste of time. The pain of realizing that the people who are supposed to help you are the ones working against you is unbearable. Well after threatening rape and death to me and all my family members the next time they see me they left me bruised close to my house. Luckily my sister was walking home from school and she found me and called my mom. We then went to the hospital where l was treated and given pain killers.
“I ended up with a black eye and bruised ribs. When we got home the house was trashed and everything was broken. There was glass everywhere. l received taunting calls telling me that they had told me to stop involving myself in things that do not concern me. I got into such a deep depression and started feeling worthless. Was l doing well by advocating against this and was it going to change,” she said.
Online Reporter