The Sunday News
Mashudu Mambo, Sunday News Reporter
A 53-YEAR-OLD man from Tsholotsho has been sentenced to 20 years for raping his neighbour’s 14-year-old daughter after she rejected his love proposal.
Msongwayo Ndlovu of Mathula Line in Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze last week facing two counts of rape.
He pleaded not guilty to the two charges but the court found him guilty and he was sentenced to 10 years for each count.
The magistrate suspended five years on condition that he does not repeat a similar crime in five years and he will, therefore serve an effective 15 years in prison.
The court heard that sometime in January, at around 4pm, Ndlovu went to the juvenile’s home and proposed love to her and she turned him down. Ndlovu then left.
In March 2017, the juvenile went to the fields with Ndlovu and his wife. Ndlovu’s wife then went on to check her children at a nearby farm, leaving the juvenile behind.
Ndlovu then took advantage of his wife’s absence and tripped the girl down and raped her once. When his wife returned, they went home but the juvenile did not reveal what happened to anyone.
The court also heard that Ndlovu raped the juvenile again sometime in April.
The juvenile was at her home when Ndlovu sneaked into the juvenile’s room where she was sleeping with her younger sister.
Ndlovu then stripped and raped the juvenile. Later that month she informed her mother about the incident and the mother reported to police, leading to the arrest of Ndlovu.
The girl was referred to Tsholotsho hospital for medical examination. Miss Concilia Ncube prosecuted.
