A 50-YEAR-OLD man from Matobo area, Matabeleland South, was taken to the court on allegations that he raped a six-year-old Grade 0 pupil.
By Khulani Nkabinde
Japhet Sibanda (50) of Lukadzi village in Matobo appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Witness- Mtetwa on Wednesday, on allegations that he waylaid the unsuspecting girl and raped her.
Prosecutor Marlvin Nzombe told the court that on May 23, the accused met the complainant on her way to school. “He greeted her and she did not respond,” he said. “The complainant then continued her journey and started running to school.
“The accused ran after her, grabbed her by the hand and carried her on his back into a nearby bush where he made her lie on the ground facing upwards.”
Nzombe said the accused then proceeded to rape the schoolgirl.
“The accused only stopped sexually molesting the complainant when he saw two women who were passing by and ran away,” he continued.
“The complainant also got up and went to school. She did not tell anyone about what had happened.”
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Nzombe said the girl later confided in a neighbour the next day on what had happened, after she met her crying on her way to school.
The neighbour then informed the pupil’s teacher who interviewed her and she revealed that Sibanda had raped her. A report was then made to the police, leading to the accused’s arrest.
A medical report will be produced in court as evidence after the complainant was sent for an examination by a doctor. Sibanda was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on June 12.
