“When Councillor Chivhovho arrived at the complainant’s homestead during the day, he found the complainant alone washing plates outside. The accused person grabbed the complainant by the stomach, demanding sex. The complainant refused, but the accused promised to give her some bags of maize after sex,” the court heard.
A CHIPINGE Rural District Council representative for Ward 13 Councillor Daniel Dhliwayo Chivhovho (63) was on Tuesday dragged to court on allegations of raping a mentally challenged woman thrice.
Councillor Chivhovho, a Zanu-PF member of Grassflats Farm, in Chief Mutema’s area, appeared before Mr Poterai Gwezhira on Tuesday facing three counts of rape.
He was not asked to plead and the matter was remanded to January 30, 2020.
Mr Gift Bikita prosecuted.
He said sometime in February 2019, Chivhovho went to the complainant’s house intending to see her husband.
“When Councillor Chivhovho arrived at the complainant’s homestead during the day, he found the complainant alone washing plates outside. The accused person grabbed the complainant by the stomach, demanding sex. The complainant refused, but the accused promised to give her some bags of maize after sex,” he said.
“The accused (allegedly) pinned the complainant on to the ground and the complainant could not scream for help since she had been threatened with a knife by the accused.
“Chivhovho then raped the complainant once and threatened her with death if she disclosed what had happened to anyone,” said Mr Bikita.
Mr Bikita said the second incident also occurred in February 2019 when Chivhovho allegedly went to the complainant’s homestead and found her alone sweeping the kitchen hut.
“The accused person entered the hut and once more demanded sex to which the complainant refused. He forced the complainant to lie down. She did not resist as she was afraid of the accused. Chivhovho then had sexual intercourse with the complainant without her consent,” added Mr Bikita.
On the third occasion Chivhovho allegedly found the complainant carrying some plates outside the house.
“He ordered her to get back into the bedroom and she is said to have refused, but he held the complainant by her blouse and dragged her into the hut where he raped her.
“After the act, the complainant ran to her husband’s sister some four kilometres away and narrated what had transpired.
“A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of the suspect,” said Mr Bikita.
