The Sunday News
Charleen Ndlovu, Sunday news reporter
A 40-year-old man from Nkayi has been caged for 10 years after he raped his mentally challenged sister before threatening to kill her and her children if she told anyone.
The man from Gwitshi area under Chief Sibadala Ndlovu who cannot be named for ethical reasons was convicted by Bulawayo magistrate Mr Joseph Mabeza due to overwhelming evidence last week. Passing the sentence, Mr Mabeza said that the man had failed to provide any sustainable evidence distancing him from the charge.
Mr Mabeza added that it was most disturbing that the man took advantage of his sister’s mental state to rape her. He will serve an effective eight years after two years were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar crime within a period of five years.
Prosecutor Mrs Paidamoyo Zengeni told the court that in June last year, the woman visited her mother’s homestead together with her three daughters. At around 8pm, when everyone had retired to bed, the man sneaked into his sister’s bedroom and raped her. He then threatened to kill her and her children if she ever disclosed what had happened.
Mrs Zengeni said after the first incident, the man again in the following days sneaked into the woman’s bedroom and raped her several times. The matter finally came to light on 1 January this year when the man repeated his evil act but was caught in the act by other siblings. He tried to flee but was caught and handed over to police, leading to his arrest.
Meanwhile, a 44-year-old man from Pumula in Bulawayo was sentenced to 12 years in prison for raping a Grade Five pupil after he stuffed a dish towel in her mouth to stop her from screaming. Nhlanhla Ncube of House Number A5732 in Pumula Old appeared before Mr Mabeza facing charges of rape and assault last week.
Mr Mabeza found him guilty of the charges and sentenced him to 12 years of which two were suspended on condition he does not commit a similar crime within a period of five years.
For the State, Mrs Zengeni said on 18 April this year at around 2pm, the kid went to Ncube’s house to ask for firewood from Ncube’s wife. She said when the girl got to the house, Ncube was alone. When the girl asked for firewood from Ncube, the man instructed her to get the firewood from the bedroom under his bed.
The court heard that Ncube followed the girl and slapped her before ordering her to remove her clothes.
She said that Ncube stuffed a dish towel into the complainant’s mouth to stop her from screaming, before raping the young girl while wearing a condom.
The matter came to light when the complainant complained of pain in her privates and later revealed that Ncube had raped her, leading to Ncube’s arrest.
