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Marvelous Moyo  Gwanda Correspondent
AN ex-convict who raped an old woman alleging that he was attracted to her because she was wearing a mini-skirt has been sentenced to 15 years in jail.Nicholas Ndlovu, 35, of Tshapo area in Matobo pleaded guilty to raping the aged woman and was slapped with the jail term by Gwanda regional magistrate Joseph Mabeza on Friday.

Initially the State had said the woman was 91 years old but a medical report showed she was 83.

The State also failed to trace Ndlovu’s previous convictions though he told magistrate Mabeza that he served seven years for impregnating a minor.

Ndlovu was released from Khami Prison last year in October.

In passing the sentence, Mabeza said he considered that Ndlovu had pleaded guilty and did not waste the court’s time.

“Rape traumatises the survivor both mentally and physically. What aggravates this offence is the age difference.

“Accused committed the offence against a defenceless woman,” said Mabeza.

Ndlovu raped the old woman at her homestead while she was alone on November 23, 2014 at around 3PM.

Agreed facts are that Ndlovu passed through the complainant’s homestead and found her alone.

He approached the complainant and asked for some water to drink.

The complainant got into her kitchen hut and brought Ndlovu a cup of water but he asked for some more.

The old woman went back to the kitchen hut to fetch some more water.

Ndlovu followed her and while inside the hut, Ndlovu ordered her to lie down and threatened to kill her if she failed to comply.

The old woman complied and Ndlovu raped her once.

Ndlovu threatened to return at night and kill the complainant if she revealed what had happened to anyone.

However, soon after Ndlovu left the complainant’s homestead, she narrated her ordeal to a neighbour.

They advised the area traditional leader, Chief Masuku about the rape.

The Chief reported the matter to the police leading to Ndlovu’s arrest.