In A Sad Development : An 11 Year Old Was Raped And Her Mother Ignored Her
A 36-year-old Lalapanzi man has been arrested for allegedly rap_ing an 11-year-old girl after the crime was discovered at church following a virgi_nity test conducted on the victim.
The court heard that when the girl, who cannot be named to protect her identity, told her mother about the alleged rap_e, the latter didn’t take her seriously thinking she was making up the story.
This was heard during the appearance of Munoda Shenjere of Lalapanzi before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing one count of rap_e.
Shenjere pleaded not guilty.
Mrs Msipa remanded him in custody to March 5 for the continuation of trial.
The complainant told the court a prophetess at her church discovered that she had lost her virgi_nity before she revealed that Shenjere had se_xually violated her.
“There was a virgi_nity test conducted by a prophetess at church where it was discovered that I had lost my virgi_nity. I then told them that it was Shenjere who had rap_ed me. I told the prophetess that on the day when I was rap_ed, I told my mother about my ordeal but she didn’t seem to understand me and kept quiet. I had no one to tell since my own mother didn’t understand me until the day when the virgi_nity test was conducted,” she said.
Shenjere, however, denied the allegations saying that the story was fabricated.
“The complainant was told by her prophetess to implicate me. I didn’t rap_e her,” he said.
Prosecuting, Mr Talent Tadenyika told the court that on March 29 last year, around 7AM, the complainant was on her way to school in the company of three other pupils.
“While on their way they met Shenjere who emerged from the bushes. He told the complainant that he had finally caught up with her and sensing danger the complainant tried to run away but she tripped on the grass and fell to the ground,” said Mr Tadenyika.
He said Shenjere caught the complainant, allegedly dragged her off the road, held her throat so that she would not be heard if she screamed before rap_ing her once.
“After the se_xual assault Shenjere threatened to kill the complainant if she ever disclosed the matter to anyone and in fear, she dressed herself up, went to school and told no one,” he said.
“After school, the complainant went home and told her mother that Shenjere had done profaned things while she was on her way to school but she failed to understand what her daughter meant and kept quiet.”
The court heard that during a virg_inity test at church, a prophetess allegedly told the complainant’s mother that her daughter was se_xually abused.
A report was made to the police, leading to the arrest of Shenjere.
— Chronicle
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