The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
A 54-YEAR-OLD Gwanda man has been arrested after he allegedly gave a 17-year-old juvenile beer to drink at a Christmas party and went on to rape her on her way home while she was heavily intoxicated.
Andile Ncube of Macala Line in Mlambapeli area was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda facing a charge of rape last week.
He was remanded in custody to tomorrow for trial.
Prosecuting, Mr Noel Mandebvu said Ncube raped the complainant on Christmas Day at about 11pm.
“On 25 December at around 9pm, Ncube met the complainant who lives in the same village with him at a party. He gave her alcohol to drink until she was heavily intoxicated. The complainant later left the party at around 11pm headed for home and Ncube followed her. Along the way he grabbed her from behind, pulled her into a bushy area and raped her before fleeing the scene, leaving the complainant behind.
“The complainant walked to a nearby homestead where she sought assistance. The matter was reported to the police resulting in Ncube’s arrest the following day,’’ he said.
In another incident a 16-year-old teenager who is a Form Three pupil at a school in Kezi has been arrested for allegedly raping a six-year-old juvenile from his area.
The teenager who cannot be named for ethical reasons has been summoned to appear at the Gwanda Magistrate’s Court tomorrow facing a rape charge.
According to the State papers the teenager who is a Form Three pupil at Mbembeswana Secondary School raped the complainant who is a Grade One pupil at Mbembeswana Primary School on 30 November.
“On 30 November the accused person went to the complainant’s home and found her alone with her seven-year-old cousin. He instructed them to accompany him to his home and they agreed.
“The accused told the complainant and her cousin to enter his bedroom. While inside the bedroom he raped the complainant while her cousin watched. When he was done the accused person instructed the complainant and her cousin to go back to their home and warned them against reporting the matter. The matter came to light when the complainant’s grandmother returned from a funeral and the complainant’s cousin revealed what the accused person had done,” read the State papers.
