The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
A SELF proclaimed prophet from a Zion church in Kezi has been arrested for raping a 10-year-old girl who is a member of his church.
Ntando Dube of Mashumba Village was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Mr Mark Dzira facing two counts of rape last week. Charges against him were withdrawn before plea after the State indicated that it had to first obtain a statement from a key witness who stays in South Africa. The matter will proceed by way of summons.
Prosecuting, Mr Mncedisi Dube said the State would inform Ntando of his court date when the statement has been obtained from the witness. He said the State had seen it best to withdraw the charges in the meantime as it remained unclear when the witness will be back in Zimbabwe. He said Ntando reportedly rape the juvenile who was a Grade Three pupil at Godlwayo Primary School in 2017.
On a date unknown but in the month of June 2017 at around 5 pm, Ntando went to the complainant’s home who was staying with her grandmother to pray for them. They offered him a place to sleep in the kitchen. In the middle of the night the complainant went to the kitchen to fetch some water to drink. While she was on her way back to the bedroom, Ntando followed her and grabbed her.
He dragged the girl back to the kitchen hut while holding a kitchen knife with another hand. Ntando then instructed the girl to lie down and he raped her and threatened to kill her if she reported the matter to anyone.Mr Dube said the complainant remained quiet about the matter.
He said in December 2017, the girl was on her to a school when Ntando approached her and grabbed her. He ordered her to lie down on the ground and raped her.Mr Dube said on 11 May 2019 at around 4 pm, the complainant was playing with her young brother aged four when she grabbed him, removed his clothes and asked to have sexual intercourse with him.
He said the girl’s aunt noticed this and questioned her niece’s actions. The complainant then revealed that Ntando had raped her in June and December 2017. Mr Dube said the complainant’s aunt accompanied her niece to the police station where the matter was reported resulting in Ntando’s arrest.
@DubeMatutu
