A 26-year-old man was arraigned before the Western Commonage Magistrates’ Court in Bulawayo on three counts of rape.
The case involved a 17-year-old girl who had posted a message in a WhatsApp group in March 2024, seeking employment.
The court heard that on May 1, 2024, the accused contacted the girl, claiming his grandmother in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, needed a house helper.
The girl travelled from Plumtree to Bulawayo on May 5, 2024, where she met the accused and his two friends.
They first went to a beer garden before heading to the accused’s residence in Mpopoma. He promised to take her to Cowdray Park the next morning.
That night, the accused entered the room where the girl was sleeping, forcibly removed her clothes, and raped her twice.
He raped her again in the morning. The incident came to light when the girl reported it to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused.
The court convicted the accused and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
More: Pindula News