BY SAMUEL NJINGA IN MASVINGO
In a landmark ruling, the Masvingo Magistrates Court has sentenced 21-year-old Wellington Njanji of Gokwe South to 28 years in prison after he was found guilty of rape and robbery, as defined in Section 65 (1) and 126(1) (a) respectively of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform ) Act Chapter 9:23 thereby highlighting the persistent issue of Gender-Based Violence in the country.
The trial concluded on Friday, when the Regional Magistrate, Bishard Chineka handed down the sentence. Njanji was convicted of raping a 28-year-old woman and robbing her of US$20.00 in the rural area of Chivi in Dzviti Village under Headman Madyangove.
According to court records, the incident occurred during midnight on the 10th day of January 2021.
The court heard how Njanji who was armed with a knife in his right hand, dragged the victim whose name has been protected for legal reasons, into a secluded area that is about 300 metres away from her homestead and subsequently raped her.
The prosecution, led by public prosecutor Liberty Hove, presented a compelling case against Njanji, including forensic evidence that linked him to the crime.
During the trial, the victim provided a harrowing account of the attack, describing how she feared for her life as Njanji threatened her with the knife before proceeding on to violate her rights.
In his defense, Njanji claimed that he was not the perpetrator, insisting that he had been wrongly identified. However, his alibi was discredited. Despite his claims, the jury found him guilty on both charges.
In his sentencing remarks, the magistrate stated that the severity of the crimes warranted a substantial sentence, emphasizing the need for deterrence in cases of sexual violence. “The court must send a clear message that such heinous acts will not be tolerated in our society,” He said. “The trauma inflicted on the victim is immeasurable, and the accused showed no remorse for his actions.”
The magistrate sentenced Njanji to 20 years for rape and an additional 8 years for robbery, with the sentences to run consecutively.
As Njanji was being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, there was a palpable sense of relief among those present, particularly the victim’s family, who have been advocating for justice since the day of the attack. Outside the courthouse, women’s rights groups praised the ruling as a step forward in the fight against gender-based violence in Zimbabwe.
The case has reignited calls for more robust measures to protect women and children from sexual predators, with many urging the government to enforce stricter penalties and improve support systems for survivors of sexual violence.