Rapist jailed 17 years

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A MAN from Entumbane in Bulawayo, who raped a woman in front of his male friends who were wielding knives, was last week slapped with an effective 17-year jail term.

A MAN from Entumbane in Bulawayo, who raped a woman in front of his male friends who were wielding knives, was last week slapped with an effective 17-year jail term.

SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER

Lungisani Mabhena (36) denied the rape charge when he appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Trinos Wutawashe.

The State, led by Robin Mukura, closed its case and the magistrate convicted and sentenced Mabhena to 20 years in jail.

Three years of the sentence were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.

In sentencing him, the magistrate said he considered that he denied the charge and what aggravated his offence was that he raped the married woman in front of on-looking male friends, which humiliated her and degraded her dignity.

He said the rape incident occurred at a time when HIV and Aids was wreaking havoc in people’s lives and it was possible that he might have infected her with the disease.

The court heard that on October 30 2014 at 12 midnight, the woman aged 30, who cannot be identified to protect her, was coming from Zothile Sports Bar and when she was about to enter her yard, three men came behind her and Mabhena clapped her once on the cheek and she fell.

Mabhena dragged her near a precast wall and stripped her while his friends were watching, with one of them holding a knife.

Mabhena raped her.

As the three were leaving, the woman called them and asked Mabhena to come and see her the following day.

The woman told her husband about the rape.

Mabhena went to the woman’s place the following day and knocked at the gate at 11.30am.

He met a tenant at the house and while he was speaking to her, the woman peeked through a gap in the gate and saw him.

The woman then called other neighbours and they arrested Mabhena.