A MAN from Montrose in Bulawayo who raped a six-year-old girl left in his custody by her mother yesterday stunned the court saying he was advised by a prophet to sleep with a minor in order for all his problems to be solved. SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER
Bongani Ndlovu (29) pleaded guilty to rape when he appeared before senior Regional Court magistrate Mark Dzira, who convicted and sentenced him to 16 years imprisonment of which three years were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
In mitigation Ndlovu said: “I visited a prophet who advised me to sleep with a young child so that my problems could be solved.”
But Dzira hit back: “As a grown man you should have been able to realise that a true prophet would not tell you to rape an innocent child but would say let’s pray.”
Prosecutor Tinashe Dzipe told the court that on January 7 this year, the mother of the child, who cannot be named to protect the minor’s identity, left the girl with Ndlovu while attending a funeral at a neighbour’s house.
Ndlovu slept in the same room as the minor and raped her during the night. The mother found the minor awake and looking sad and upon inquiring, the girl revealed that she had been raped by Ndlovu. The mother discovered that she had been raped and made a report to the police, leading to Ndlovu’s arrest.
