By Meditation Mposi
A Gutu man (35) will spent the next ten years behind bars for sexually assaulting his wife’s 14-year-old sister who is also a neighbor.
The accused appeared before Masvingo Magistrate Innocent Bepura, facing rape charges and pleaded guilty.
The state’s case as presented by Prosecutor Innocent Mudzingwa was that on November 20 at around 1000hours the complainant (14) was alone at their homestead sitting in the kitchen whilst her parents were away in the garden.
The accused came and asked for maheu (traditional homebrewed drink) and the complainant told him there was none at home. He then told the complainant that he wanted to fondle her.
He then dragged the complainant behind a door and fondled her privates, but the girl screamed and he left. The accused later returned requesting for maheu again, which he was told was none, but he proceeded to molest the girl and threatened her with death if she disclosed the matter to anyone.
The complainant disclosed the matter to her mother leading to the arrest of the accused person.
In his defense, the accused said that he was playing chiramu (flirting) with the complainant and never thought it was a crime.
On passing his judgment, Bepura said the crime was a big offence which could attract a jail sentence of up to 20 years. Bepura suspended the other ten years after considering that there was no penile penetration and that the accused was a first time offender. He also said the accused was a family man with five children and had admitted to his crime without wasting the court’s time.
