A 20-year-old man from Nyamandlovu who raped his 41-year old neighbour twice on the same day has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
A court heard the man went to his neighbour’s homestead and offered her wild fruit (Umtshwankela/Tsubvu) and after she had eaten it, he demanded it back.
The neighbour promised to buy the man his wild fruit and before she ordered him to leave her homestead.
The man refused to leave but instead dragged the woman into her bedroom where he raped her once, injuring her leg in the process.
The court further heard that the man bumped into the woman while she was making her way to his homestead to report her ordeal and he dragged her into a bush where he raped her again.
The man then cut out a walking stick and gave it to the woman to use as a support system since her leg had been injured.
Thinkwell Ngulube was convicted after a full trial despite his not guilty plea to the charge.
Bulawayo regional magistrate Mafios Moyo sentenced Ngulube to 10 years for each count.
“You are sentenced to ten years in prison for each count. Total years will be 20. Four years will be suspended on condition of good behaviour and the remaining 16 will be an effective jail term,” said Magistrate Moyo.
In his defence, Ngulube told the court that he was in a relationship with the neighbour and she is the one who seduced him.
“She told me that her husband had left her and had burnt down other houses at her homestead. She thus asked me to come and build her houses for her. When I arrived at her homestead, she was alone. She asked me if I had condoms and I said no. she then sat on my lap and seduced me,” said Ngulube.
“When I met her later on the road, she told me she was going to look for her debt from another homestead. She then told me she wanted to sleep with me gain and we went into the bush. I cut her a walking stick because she was saying her leg is painful.”
State representative, Simbarashe Manyiwa told the court that on May 9, 2019, the woman was at her place of residence alone when Ngulube approached her and gave her some wild fruit to eat.
“She ate the fruit and after eating the accused demanded them back. She promised to buy them and give him back. She then ordered the accused to leave her homestead but Ngulube got hold of her hands and twisted them from behind whilst dragging her to her bedroom. In the bedroom the accused pushed her down and during the struggle the complainants right leg got injured,” said Manyiwa.
“Ngulube uplifted the woman’s skirt removed her panties and had sexual intercourse with her without her consent. He then left her in the house. When the woman’s daughter got back home, she was sent to Ngulube’s home to inform his uncle of her ordeal. Her daughter met Ngulube on the way and he ordered her to return to her homestead.”
Manyiwa said at sun set the woman proceeded to Ngulube’s place of residence and on her way, she met him.
