“I was picked up along with my grandmother for questioning on June 29 in connection with a case of food poisoning which involved our neighbours. We slept at the police station and around 9PM Mugande woke us up and told us that he needed to record statements from us. We asked why since we had already given our statements and he said it was procedure.
“He first summoned my grandmother who returned shortly. He then escorted me out of the gate of the police station and led me to the dam and he raped me once and he gave me R50. The police officer told me that if I reported the matter I would rot in jail,” said the juvenile.
She said on the following morning she and her grandmother were released from police custody but she remained quiet about the matter.
The juvenile’s mother who also cannot be named for ethical reasons said the matter came to light after she found her daughter in possession of R50.
She said she inquired from her daughter where she had got the money .
“My daughter refused to tell me the truth at first as she said she picked up the money. She later told me that she was raped by a police officer whom she identified as Mugande and that he gave her the money in order to buy her silence.
“I immediately reported the matter at the police station. My daughter went for a medical examination at the Plumtree District Hospital and the results showed that she was indeed raped. It is a relief that she was not infected with HIV or impregnated during the process,” said the mother.
The juvenile and her grandmother were taken in for questioning in a case of food poisoning. A Bulilima granny and her four grandchildren were hospitalised after consuming food they prepared using baking powder which they had collected from the juvenile’s grandmother.

Police Spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi yesterday said he was not aware of the matter. State media