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Thandeka Moyo, Court Reporter
A INSUZA man was yesterday slapped with a 23-year jail term for breaking into a woman’s hut and raping her.

Evidence Sibanda, 23, broke into the hut through an opening in the roof and raped the woman on Saturday.

Passing sentence, regional magistrate Chrispen Mberewere bemoaned the increase in rape cases in the country.

“You’re sentenced to three years imprisonment for unlawful entry. For the second count which is rape, you will spend 20 years in jail of which five years are suspended on condition that within the period you do not commit a similar crime,” said magistrate Mberewere.

Trust Muduma, for the State, told the court that on January 2  Sibanda went to the woman’s homestead.

“He tried to open the woman’s door and failed. The woman was inside the room with her two sons aged three and one,” said Muduma.

“Sibanda ended up entering the bedroom hut through an open space between the roof and the door. After entering the room, Sibanda tried grabbing the woman who was then seated on the bed but he missed and the woman escaped and left the room running.”

The court heard that Sibanda gave chase and caught up with her just outside the homestead.

“He tripped her to the ground and raped her once. The woman informed her mother-in-law who questioned Sibanda leading to his arrest,” Muduna said.