Monday 29 July 2019

MADZIBABA JAILED FOR RAPING CHURCH MATE


A 25-YEAR-OLD Johane Masowe eChishanu Bulawayo branch leader has been sentenced to an effective 12 years in jail for raping his fellow church mate.

The man, whose name has been withheld to protect the identity of the minor victim, had unprotected sexual intercourse with his 17-year-old church mate without her consent.

He pleaded not guilty to a rape charge when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Mafios Moyo. However, the magistrate convicted and sentenced him to an effective 12 years in jail.

“I find you guilty as charged. I sentence you to 15 years in prison of which three years have been suspended for five years on condition that you do not within that period commit any offence of a sexual nature of which upon conviction you will be sentenced to imprisonment without the option of paying a fine. Thus, you have been sentenced to an effective 12 years in jail,” Mr Moyo said.

Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa said in June last year, the accused person phoned the complainant’s mother informing her that her daughter was supposed to come to his house and wash his garments.

“The complainant proceeded to the accused person’s place of residence in Tshabalala where she found the accused person seated alone in the kitchen. He then instructed the minor to collect his garments in the bedroom as she prepared to do the laundry,” Mr Manyiwa said. 

He said the accused person followed the minor into the bedroom and threw her onto a bed and raped her.

The court heard that after committing the crime, the accused person ordered the minor to take a bath as there were blood stains left on the bed.

Mr Manyiwa said after bathing, the minor went back home and told a neighbour that she had been raped by the accused person. She went for a pregnancy test in the company of their neighbour and found out that she was not pregnant.

Mr Manyiwa said the neighbour then told the girl’s mother what the minor had said about the rape and the subsequent pregnancy test.

He said the neighbour told the victim’s mother that her child had not opened up to her as she thought no one would believe her as the accused person in the matter was a church leader.The court heard that the complainant and her mother reported the matter at Tshabalala Police Station. Chronicle

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