BY SAMUEL NJINGA
A 35-year old sexual predator, Tawanda Nhengo, from Chief Mazungunye in Bikita will enjoy his Christmas behind bars for the next 45 years for raping his employer`s 12-year old daughter 3 times.
In passing judgement on Friday, Masvingo regional magistrate Innocent Bepura, said that Nhengo had breached the trust that was vested upon him as he was in loco parentis of the child at the time.
“During the commission of these criminal activities of rape, which these courts take very seriously, the accused breached some trust as he was in loco parentis of the child at the time. The court highlights the seriousness of the offence of rape,” Bepura said.
“There was breach of trust to both the victim, the siblings and the aunt who left the child in the accused`s care and the State had proved its case beyond doubt.”
The court led by public prosecutor, Liberty Hove, heard that Nhengo who had been left in charge with the juvenile when her aunt left for Zvishavane to attend to her mother who was hospitalised, on an unknown date in January this year, pretended to have forgotten his mobile phone when he left to bath. Nhengo then summoned the victim to bring him the gadget as he was bathing. The innocent victim took the mobile phone to him. While she was handing it, Nhengo grabbed her by the hand, pinned her down to the floor before proceeding on to rape her once.
Nhengo raped the juvenile again during the same month on an unknown date when he took advantage of the fact that her siblings had retired to bed. On the fateful day, Nhengo summoned the juvenile to his bedroom and raped her once.
On the 9th of May this year, Nhengo further waylaid the juvenile on her way from school and raped her once in the bush. In each case Nhengo would threaten the juvenile and vehemently warned her against telling anybody.
The issue of violation of children’s rights remains topical and a mind boggling one particularly taking cognisance of the fact that this is happening right at a time when the global community is celebrating World Children`s Day.