A 13-YEAR-OLD girl from Stanhope Village in Nyamandlovu
died during a gruesome rape ordeal at the hands of her 18-year-old cousin who
later allegedly burnt her body before burying it in a shallow grave, police
confirmed yesterday.
Nqobile Moyo allegedly raped the girl while choking her,
leading to her death. In an attempt to conceal the crime, he allegedly put the
body in a sack, sprinkled it with paraffin and burnt it.
He then buried it in a nearby bush. Matabeleland North
police spokesperson Inspector Simphiwe Makonese confirmed the incident which
happened on Sunday last week at around 3AM.
She said Moyo had been arrested. Insp Makonese said on the
day in question, Moyo was left at home with the victim and two other children.
She said he woke up in the middle of the night and went to
the girl’s bedroom where he allegedly raped her twice.
Insp Makonese said Moyo’s mother (45) left home on Sunday
morning to visit some relatives in Bulawayo and left him with three children,
his victim included.
The two other children were a girl, the deceased’s young
sister aged eight and a boy aged 11 years.
“They were sleeping
in the same room: the boys were sleeping on the bed and the deceased was
sleeping with the younger girl on the floor. At around 3AM, the accused person
sneaked into the deceased’s blankets and raped her while his hand was on her mouth
and the other hand on the neck choking her to muffle noises. The minor died as
a result of choking,” said Insp Makonese.
She said after realising that the minor had died, the
suspect took the body to a nearby bush.
“He took her body and went to the bush and sprinkled it
with paraffin. He burnt the body before burying it in a shallow grave,” Insp
Makonese said.
She said when the other children asked him about the
whereabouts of his cousin, he pretended as if he did not know what had befallen
her.
Insp Makonese said the deceased’s young sister went to
inform the village head that her sister was missing. Upon interrogation by villagers, Moyo confessed that he had
killed her.
‘’I advise parents
that they must not leave the girls alone at home. They must seek an adult
female who will take care of them while they are away,” said Insp Makonese.
When The Chronicle visited the area, there was a sombre
atmosphere.
The village head, Mr Ocean Moyo, said when the children,
who were worried about the now deceased, went to his homestead to report the
matter, they saw his wife as he was not home at the time. “My wife notified
other villagers who then teamed up to search for her. When the remains of the
girl were found, one of my committee members called me. I then instructed them
to call the police for help. They took my car from home which they used to go
to Nyamandlovu police station and when the police came the body was exhumed.
The parents of the suspect had arrived, that’s when the suspect said he raped
and killed her,” said Mr Moyo.
A villager Miss Nelisiwe Dube said the deceased’s young
sister first told neighbours that she could not locate her sister and they
advised her to report to the headman.
She said when the deceased’s younger sister woke up in the
morning and asked Moyo about her sister, he initially pretended as if he knew
nothing before he later opened up saying she disappeared after they had a
misunderstanding over the issue of washing plates.
The younger sister notified their neighbours who then
advised her to report the matter to the village head.
Another villager who identified herself as Mrs Ndlovu said:
“Before they conducted the search, the villagers together with members of the
neighbourhood watch apprehended Moyo after he exhibited signs that he was the
one who was involved in the disappearance of his cousin.
“While searching they stumbled upon the fresh shallow grave
where the victim was buried.” Chronicle
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