TWO friends both aged 19 years have been arrested for
allegedly raping an 11-year-old neighbour on separate occasions.
The two who are both employed as domestic workers at a
homestead in Gwanda but are from Binga were not asked to plead when they
appeared separately before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs
Nomagugu Sibanda, facing rape charges. They were remanded
in custody to November 11.
Prosecuting, Miss Ethel Mahachi said the pair raped the
juvenile who is a Grade Six pupil in August on separate occasions. “On a date
unknown to the prosecutor but in August the complainant was at home with her
siblings while their guardian had gone out. The first accused person arrived at
the home and dragged the complainant into the sitting room. He warned the
complainant against revealing the rape to anyone and she remained quiet,” she
said.
“During the same month the second accused person went to
the complainant’s home while she was alone and proposed love to her. Before the
complainant could respond he grabbed her and dragged her into the house and
went on to rape. He threatened to assault the complainant if she revealed the
matter to anyone and she remained quiet.”
Miss Mahachi said the second accused person continued
raping the complainant several times at her home during the absence of her
guardian, warning her against revealing the matter.
She said the matter came to light after some of her
classmates saw the complainant walking with the second accused person into a
bush and they reported the matter to their class teacher. Miss Mahachi said the
teacher questioned the complainant and she revealed that he had raped her
several times.
She said the complainant also revealed that the first
accused person had also raped her.
Miss Mahachi said the teacher reported the matter to school
authorities who then alerted the complainant’s guardians.
The matter was reported to the police resulting in the
arrest of the pair. Chronicle
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