Anesushe Mamhute
CHIREDZI – Forget Ngwenyeni (18) from Ndali village under chief Tshovani was recently slapped with a 10-year jail term by Chiredzi regional magistrate Judith Zuyu for raping his 16-year-old niece.
Three years of the sentence were, however, conditionally suspended.
The State, led by Moreblessing Rusere, convinced the court that Ngwenyeni raped the girl when he slept over at her place on August 18.
When he committed the offence, he had watched a movie until late hours.
The complainant went to sleep and left Ngwenyeni with her guardian but he too later went to sleep earlier than Ngwenyeni.
The complainant told the court she just woke up and found Ngwenyeni on top of her and she alarmed her aunt who was sleeping in an adjacent house. Accompanied by the aunt, the complainant went to report the matter to the police the same day.
On August 21, the complainant was medically examined and it was observed that penetration had occurred.
Magistrate Zuyu described the offence as the highest level of madness because the offender and the complainant are related.
“The complainant is your niece and you were expected to protect her considering that her maternal parents were not around…there is need for the community to be protected from such abuses,” said Zuyu.local
