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Patience Mutsiwi Midlands Reporter—
A ZVISHAVANE man allegedly kidnapped his neighbour’s teenage daughter and raped her in an eight-day hostage ordeal. Victor Beta, 36, of Kofi village under Chief Masunda in Zvishavane appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Shepherd Munjanja facing kidnapping and rape charges. He pleaded not guilty, saying he had consensual sex with the 15-year-old girl. “Your worship l didn’t rape her. She agreed to have sex with me on the basis that I was going to give her bus fare to Harare. “It’s unfortunate that she says I raped her, but every time I had sex with her it was by consent,” said Beta.

He was remanded in custody to Friday for the continuation of trial. Prosecuting, Talent Tadenyika said Beta found his victim in a nearby bush crying some time in May. Upon inquiry, the victim told him that she had been chased away from home by her father and her stepmother and she needed $15 to go to her biological mother in Harare.

“Beta then took the girl to his home where he raped her on seven occasions in eight days,” said Tadenyika. The court heard that the matter came to light after the girl’s parents reported to the police that she was missing.

The police then received a tip off from a villager that Beta was living with an underage girl whom he had turned into his wife.