A 56-YEAR-OLD self-proclaimed prophet has been jailed 20
years for raping a 14-year-old juvenile under the pretext of cleansing her of
evil objects in her body.
Alfosi Nzinga of Silalatshani area in Filabusi pleaded not
guilty to rape when he appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Mr Mark
Dzira, but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence. Nzinga was sentenced to
20 years imprisonment of which three years were suspended on condition that he
does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
He will serve an effective 17 years. Prosecuting, Mr Mncedisi Dube said Nzinga raped the
juvenile, who is a Form Two pupil, on several occasions in January and February
while he was temporarily staying at the complainant’s home.
“In December last year the complainant went to stay with
her mother in Gwanda for the school holidays. She returned to Filabusi in
January when schools had opened and learnt that Nzinga was now staying at her
home after he had been offered temporary accommodation by her grandmother.
“During his stay Nzinga invited the juvenile to sleep in
his bedroom on two occasions but she refused. On the third attempt the juvenile
sought advice from her grandmother who told her to comply. The juvenile
followed her grandmother’s advice and went to sleep in Nzinga’s bedroom. Nzinga
told the juvenile that she had some evil objects in her body and he had to
cleanse her,” he said.
Mr Dube said Nzinga instructed the complainant to remove
her clothes and he applied an unknown herb all over her body and sprinkled some
herbs on the floor where she was going to sleep.
He said Nzinga also removed his clothes and told the
juvenile that he was supposed to have sexual intercourse with her as part of
the cleansing process. Mr Dube said the juvenile tried to resist but Nzinga
overpowered her and raped her.
“From that day onwards until 21 February Nzinga raped the
juvenile on several occasions during his stay at her home. The juvenile
remained quiet about the matter as she thought her grandmother was in support
of what Nzinga was doing. On 25 February the complainant escaped from her
grandmother’s homestead and went to her mother in Gwanda and narrated what
Nzinga had done to her.
“The matter was reported to the police the following day
resulting in Nzinga’s arrest,” he said.
In his defence, Nzinga denied raping the complainant. He
said the juvenile’s grandmother invited him to stay at their homestead as she
wanted him to cleanse the juvenile.
Nzinga said during his stay the juvenile’s grandmother forced him to
sleep in the same bedroom with the complainant.
He said he had sexual intercourse with the juvenile twice
but it was after she consented and her grandmother was aware of the sexual
activities. Chronicle
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