TWO brothers and their cousin who allegedly invoked an
ancient Tonga custom to kidnap a girl (17) and take her to their homestead
where one of them raped her before introducing her to relatives as his wife,
have been arrested.
Tivious Tshuma (23), his younger brother Courage (19) and
their cousin Khulekani Sibanda (27), all of Mandimoni village under Chief
Sinamagonde in Lusulu, Binga, allegedly went to the girl’s home in Chipali
Village on May 2 and forcibly took her in a donkey drawn cart to their village
about 25km away.
Traditional leaders in Binga yesterday said the outdated
practice was called kwangila or kucizisya in Tonga language under which a man
could force a woman into marriage. Now it’s no longer being practised.
They said it was wrong to force a woman into marriage or
into sex (kujata anguzu in Tonga).
The girl, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, was
rescued by her parents who tracked her down with the help of police last
Tuesday.
The girl reportedly told her parents and police that she
was not in love with Tivious or the other two suspects.
To capture the teen, Courage allegedly snatched her phone
and handed it over to Sibanda.
The girl attempted to get her phone back and the trio
grabbed and threw her into the cart.
They allegedly left the girl’s village around 8am and
arrived in Mandimoni towards 7pm.
Tivious allegedly took the girl into his bedroom hut and
had sex with her once at night.
He introduced her as his wife to his family before having
sex with her for the second time at night. Tivious allegedly told the girl that
she would not go back to her parents as she was now his wife.
A report of rape was made on Saturday leading to the trio’s
arrest. The girl was referred to Binga District Hospital for
medical examination.
Chief Sinamagonde and Lusulu Ward Councillor Anthony
Sibanda condemned the three suspects’ actions saying the practice of forcing a
girl or woman into marriage had been outlawed by modernity and human rights
practices.
Chief Sinamagonde said long back a man could forcibly take
a girl to his homestead and make her his wife.
“This is a serious offence and I guess that is why it was
not formally brought to my court because it’s a police case and has to go to
the magistrate’s court, “ said Chief Sinamagonde.
Cllr Sibanda said: “Yes such an incident happened and we
are still dumbfounded by it. We heard that the two brothers and their cousin
took a scotch cart and went to the girl’s village where it is understood they
were visiting a relative. On their return they came back with the girl.
“This is an old cultural practice where one could force a
girl into marriage even if she didn’t know him. I can say this was last
practised more than two generations ago and no longer there in our culture.
What used to happen is that once a man saw a woman he wanted, he could suddenly
grab her and carry her to his homestead and if he succeeded in reaching his
homestead the girl was not allowed to return to her parents.
“These days both parties have to be in agreement. These
three forced the girl into a cart and we are told that she was screaming for
help along the way which may have led her parents to where she was,” said Cllr
Sibanda.
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector
Siphiwe Makonese yesterday said: “As police we are worried that in this era
people are ignorant of treaties and conventions about gender issues. While we
appreciate traditional practices, people should know that it is against the law
to force someone into sex or marriage, which is why such actions become rape,”
said Chief Insp Makonese.
She said the trio were in police custody and will appear in
court soon. Chronicle
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