Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
A MAN who raped a 15-year-old girl on four consecutive nights while threatening her with a catapult has been sentenced to 15 years in jail. Hwange regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga found Edmore Sibanda, 22, from Chezhou Village in Dete guilty of four counts of rape due to overwhelming evidence. The rapist will, however, serve an effective 12 years after three years were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
Sibanda had pleaded not guilty, claiming that he was in love with his victim. “We were in love with the complainant and the rape allegations were only raised after her sisters caught us having sex,” he said.
Prosecuting, Tawanda Sigauke said the girl was raped in November last year.
“On November 12, at 8PM, the accused proceeded to the complainant’s parents’ homestead where he went straight to the kitchen hut where she was preparing food. The accused was holding a knife and a catapult,” said the prosecutor.
The court heard that Sibanda threatened to stab his victim if she made noise. He then raped her once after pushing her to the ground. Sibanda went back to the girl’s place of residence and raped her again on three consecutive days using the same modus operandi.
The girl narrated her ordeal to her sisters on the fourth day on November 15.
“That evening at 7PM, the complainant’s sisters retired to bed leaving her cooking in the kitchen hut. At 8PM Sibanda sneaked into the kitchen hut where he started having sexual intercourse with her. The girl’s sisters heard him enter the hut and went to investigate upon which they caught Sibanda red handed having sex with her,” said Sigauke.
Sibanda fled from the scene. A report was made to the police leading to his arrest.