The Sunday News
Mashudu Mambo and Clinton Moyo, Sunday News Reporters
A Nkayi man has been arrested for allegedly raping a 31-year-old mentally unstable woman.
Denny Nkomo (52) of Jingeni Village in Nkayi appeared before the Bulawayo magistrate Mr Chrispen Mberewere facing a charge of rape.
He was found guilty and remanded in custody to tomorrow for sentencing. Prosecuting, Mr Tinashe Dzipe told the court that on 2 December last year at about 7am, the brother to the woman had gone to fetch water from a borehole as he was watering his garden. When he left, his sister also arrived at the borehole.
However, when the brother returned to fetch water, he noticed his sister’s footprints but was surprised because he didn’t meet her along the way. The court heard that the brother traced the footprints which led him to a bush near the borehole. About 400 metres away the brother saw Nkomo putting on his trousers before he fled, leaving behind his axe. He discovered that Nkomo had just raped his sister as she was still lying on the ground.
When he asked his sister what had happened, she remained quiet. Mr Dzipe said the brother then accompanied his sister home where he told their mother what had happened.
The mother took her daughter to Nkayi and reported the matter to the police. During cross-examination, Nkomo denied the charges arguing that he only accompanied the woman because he liked the way she was talking.
When asked by the prosecutor on why he ran away from the scene when the woman’s brother appeared, he said he was afraid he was going to be axed since the brother was also carrying an axe. Meanwhile, a Tsholotsho man allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl twice and threatened to assault her if she revealed what had happened.
Ntandoyenkosi Sibanda of Bhezeni line appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze last week facing two counts of rape.
Sibanda pleaded not guilty to both charges. He was remanded in custody to Wednesday for continuation of trial. Prosecuting, Ms Conalia Ncube told the court that in November 2016, the girl was sleeping in her bedroom hut with her brothers when Sibanda sneaked in as the door was unlocked.
When he was in the room, Sibanda called the girl and when she responded, he got into the blankets and raped her. The court heard that after raping the girl, Sibanda threatened to assault her if she revealed what had happened.
Ms Ncube said sometime in January 2017, the girl went to fetch water at a borehole and met Sibanda who promised to visit her the following morning after her parents had gone to work in the fields.
The court heard that the following day in the morning Sibanda visited the girl where he raped her again.
‘He promised to pay her some money. The matter came to light a few days later when the girl’s parents noticed that her clothes were wet on the back. They asked her but she said it was water.
However, the father was not satisfied and took the girl to Tsholotsho District Hospital for medical examination.
The girl then revealed what had happened to a nurse who was examining her. A report was made leading to Sibanda’s arrest.
