Businessman Ishmael Matyenyika has denied raping his wife’s sister saying that he had been in a romantic relationship with the complainant since 2020. He said their affair turned sour this year after he discovered that the complainant was having another affair with a woman (lesbianism).
Matyenyika allegedly started raping his sister-in-law in
2007 and later forced her to abort twice. After he allegedly committed the
crime, the two began a 10-year
relationship during which the complainant fell pregnant three times.
Matyenyika (47) appeared before Harare regional magistrate
Mr Themba Kuwanda charged with two counts of rape and aggravated indecent
assault.
The State is alleging that sometime in 2007 at around 7am
the complainant, who was still a teenager, visited Matyenyika’s residence while
on school holiday.
On one of the days when she was on the visit, the
complainant’s sister and wife to Matyenyika went to pick up her children from
school, leaving the accused and the complainant at home.
Matyenyika allegedly invited the complainant into his
bedroom where he told her that she was now his new wife given to him by her
parents.
He then went on to force the complainant to perform oral
sex and only released her when his wife had come back home.
This allegedly happened on several occasions until 2011 and
the complainant did not reveal this to anyone.
On the second charge, State alleges that sometime in 2011
at the complainant’s residence in Waterfalls, an aunt asked the victim to take
some food to Matyenyika who was in his room.
When she entered the room Matyenyika allegedly raped her
and this continued till in 2014 but the complainant initially did not disclose
this to anyone.
When she fell pregnant in the same year, she disclosed the
abuse to her sister’s friend who advised her to take some tablets to terminate
the pregnancy. The court heard in 2016 ,complainant started working for
Matyenyika at his restaurant and he would take the complainant to different
lodges and hotels where he would sexually abuse her.
In 2018, the complainant fell pregnant again and Matyenyika
forced her to have an abortion. In 2022, the complainant became pregnant again
as a result of rape this time she chose not abort and she gave birth to a baby
who was adopted by the Department of Social Welfare before being transferred to
the care of a foster parent.
After the birth of the child, the complainant later
narrated her story to her aunt who tried to resolve the issue before she
reported Matyenyika to police. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment