A 45-YEAR-OLD man from Tongogara village in Shurugwi was yesterday jailed to an effective 18 years for raping a seven-year-old girl and promising her R1 and a packet of biscuits so that she could keep it a secret. STEPHEN CHADENGA OWN CORRESPONDENT
Taurai Mgadura was initially sentenced to 20 years by Gweru regional magistrate Morgan Nemadire, but two years were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
It was the State’s case that on an unknown date, but sometime during the first week of December 2012, the girl was on her way to fetch water from a nearby borehole when Mgadura followed her from a distance.
When she was passing a bushy area, Mgadura caught up with the girl and raped her once, and then promised to give her R1 and a packet of biscuits if she did not reveal the matter to anyone.
However, the girl’s grandmother noticed that she had difficulties walking and questioned her until she revealed the rape.
The grandmother notified the girl’s mother and a report was made to the police leading to Mgadura’s arrest.
