A 23-YEAR-OLD self-proclaimed witch-doctor from Tshebetshebe village in Lupane has been slapped with 15 years’ imprisonment for raping a minor.
BY SILAS NKALA
The man, who cannot be named to avoid the identity of the minor, pleaded not guilty, but was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in jail by Hwange Regional Court magistrate Dambudzo Malunga on Friday after overwhelming evidence against him was proffered in court.
Three years of the sentence were, however, suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
It is the state’s case that the man sneaked into his 11-year-old niece’s blankets during the night and raped her.
Prosecutor Bheki Tshabalala told the court that sometime in January 2014 the man was invited by the girl’s grandparents to exorcise evil spirits.
At around 9pm the girl went to sleep leaving him with her grandparents.
While she was asleep, the man sneaked into her blankets. The girl was surprised to see the traditional healer sleeping beside her stark naked.
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She tried to scream, but the man threatened to kill her before raping her.
The girl informed her grandparents the following morning and the matter was reported to the police leading to the man’s arrest.
However, the man alleged the girl’s parents were framing her after failing to settle the bill for the cleansing exercise he performed on them.
“It’s her grandparents who influenced her to fabricate the allegations against me because they failed to pay me my goat for the exorcism services I provided,” he said. There was even more drama when the man refused to swear in court using the name of God saying his tradition does not allow him to use Christianity.
He said his ancestors who are responsible for giving him spiritual powers would withhold the “gift” should he submit to Christianity.
