A-16-YEAR-OLD herd boy from Zvishavane has pleaded guilty to raping a neighbour’s five-year-old daughter.

The boy, whose name and that of his victim have been withheld for legal reasons, appeared before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire facing rape charges.

He pleaded guilty and was remanded out of custody to January 10.

The magistrate asked for the accused person’s father to appear in court on that day so that he might explain if the complainant’s family had come to an understanding with the accused person since they did not show up for the hearing.

Prosecuting, Mr Lloyd Mavhiza said on November 7 at around 9AM, the complainant visited her friend at a homestead the 16-year old boy was employed as a herd boy.
“The accused person started to follow the complainant before she met her friend’s mother who told her to wait for her friend under a kitchen hut shade. The complainant was left alone whilst her friend’s mother went into her bedroom hut,” said Mr Mavhiza.

“The accused person approached the complainant and told her to follow him into the kitchen hut.”
The court heard that the accused person raped the minor in the kitchen hut, but was caught in the act.

“The complainant’s friend’s mother came to the kitchen hut and found the complainant sitting on the accused person’s lap with her trousers lowered to thigh level. She called the complainant’s guardian and told her what she had seen,” said Mr Mavhiza.

The court heard that the complainant’s guardian accompanied the complainant to report the matter to the police.

“The complainant was referred to Zvishavane District hospital where she was medically examined and a medical report was compiled,” said Mr Mavhiza. State Media