Look after my children, rapist asks victim in court

Patience Muzhingi

ZVISHAVANE – Asking a favour from your victim! A 42-year-old
Zvishavane man who was arraigned before magistrate Shepherd Mnjanja on charges
of raping his biological sister asked her to look after his children when he
gets jailed.

The man, who cannot be named to
protect the identity of his victim, pleaded guilty to the crime as defined in
Section 65 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

It was State’s case that sometime
in March, the accused went to his sister’ homestead in Pasira Village under
Chief Mazvihwa in the evening at around 19:00 hrs.

He asked for a traditional
fermented marula brew called mukumbi from the complainant.

After taking the alcohol, he forced
his sister onto the ground and had sexual intercourse with her without her
consent.

The complainant later reported
her ordeal to her other brother who then advised her to report the matter to
the police, leading to the arrest of the suspect.

After learning that rape charges
had been pressed on him, the suspect asked the complainant to look after his
children during his imprisonment.

“I don’t know why you did
this to me, I am asking you just to take care of my children,” he repeated the
plea in court.

The accused was remanded in
custody pending trial at the High Court.