A HWANGE-based Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) worker allegedly kidnapped two teenage girls and detained them for two weeks at his house during which he raped one of them, a court heard.
Hwange regional magistrate, Mr Mark Dzira heard this when Themba Mungadza (43) of Chibondo suburb appeared before him facing charges of unlawful detention and rape.
He was remanded in custody to Friday for trial and advised to apply to the High Court for bail.
Prosecuting, Mrs Charlene Gorerino said on November 9 last year at around 2PM, the complainant, a 15-year-old girl who is doing Form Four at a local school, went to Mungadza’s house to plait the accused’s daughter.
The court heard that after the victim had finished plaiting, Mungadza sent his daughter on an errand and he remained with the complainant in the house.
“The accused then went to his daughter’s room where the complainant was sitting alone and locked the door. He started proposing love to the girl and she turned him down after which he demanded to have sex with her,” said Mrs Gorerino.
The victim refused and Mungadza pushed her onto the bed and covered her mouth before allegedly raping the complainant.
After the ordeal, the complainant stormed out of the room and went back to her parents’ house and did not reveal the rape to anyone. On January 3 this year, the complainant left her parents’ home and did not return prompting her mother to make a police report of a missing person.
In the second count of kidnapping, the court heard that the complainant, another 15-year-old girl went to church with her two siblings and their mother.
The victim allegedly left the church service and went to Mungadza’s place without her mother’s knowledge.
She stayed at the accused person’s house from January 3. The girl’s mother tried to contact her daughter on her mobile phone, but could not get through prompting her to make a police report of a missing person.
Investigations were conducted and the two girls were found at Mungadza’s house leading to his arrest. The raped complainant was taken to a local hospital for a medical examination.
Mungadza is, however, denying the charges, arguing that he had consensual sex with the teenager. Meanwhile, police in Matabeleland North have launched a manhunt for a 13-year-old Nyamandlovu boy who allegedly raped his neighbour’s two daughters aged eight and 12 years, as rape cases involving juveniles continue to rise in the province.
The boy used one of the girls to cover his victim’s mouth to muffle her screams. After raping both he fled from the scene.
Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Glory Banda said they are investigating the rape case, which occurred last year in December.
“Our preliminary investigations indicate that on 26 December last year, the suspect who is aged 13 years, and the two girls went to a village borehole to fetch water using a scotchcart. After filling their buckets they discovered that some of the containers didn’t have lids and they decided to use tree leaves to cover them,” he said.
“The trio went to the bush to fetch leaves and while there, the boy pushed one of the girls aged 12 years and she fell down.
He then ordered the younger girl to cover the 12-year-old’s mouth so that she could not scream before raping her.”
Insp Banda said after raping the girl, the boy turned to the eight-year-old and raped her twice.
“Soon after committing the offence, the boy threatened to kill the two girls if they revealed their ordeal to anyone,” he said.
The matter came to light on 14 January after one of the victims narrated her ordeal to her mother and a report was made to the police. The boy got wind that the police were looking for him and he fled.
Insp Banda bemoaned the increase in rape cases and urged members of the public to assist police in curbing the crimes.
“The increase in rape cases involving juveniles has become a cause for concern in our province. Cases of gender-based violence against women and children are on the rise and as police we are appealing to the public to assist us,” he said.
Insp Banda said the cases are more prevalent in Lupane and Nkayi districts
“Most cases of rape involving juveniles have been recorded in Lupane and Nkayi districts. As police, we urge parents to be on the lookout and we are saying children, especially girls, should avoid venturing into secluded areas,” he said.
In a similar incident, police are hunting for a Lupane herdsman, Chamanga Manoto (41) who allegedly raped an eight-year-old girl who had been left in his custody. – The Chronicle
