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Sylvester Chiramba, Court Reporter
A 60-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly raping his neighbour’s 12-year-old daughter whom he was taking for Bible lessons in Njube suburb.

The man, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, allegedly raped the juvenile sometime between October and December last year.

He allegedly raped the girl while her friends were outside waiting for him to conduct a Bible lesson session.

The matter came to light through a letter that was anonymously placed in a suggestion box.

The man was not asked to plead to rape when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube.  He was remanded in custody to March 23 for provision of a trial date. Mr Ncube advised the man to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecuting, Mrs Tembeni Mpofu told the court that on an unknown date between October and December last year, the complainant went to the accused’s place of residence with her friends for Bible lessons with the accused. “The man instructed the girl’s friends to sit outside the house and told the complainant to escort him inside the house to collect a Bible story book,” said Mrs Mpofu

“While in the house, he grabbed the girl by the hand, pushed her on the bed, lowered his trousers to knee level and raped the girl once without protection.”

The matter, said Mrs Mpofu came to light through an anonymous tip-off from a suggestion box prompting investigations leading to the man’s arrest.

The juvenile was referred to hospital for medical examination and a medical report maybe produced in court as evidence.

Meanwhile, a Bulawayo man has been arrested for allegedly molesting his landlord’s five-year-old son in Old Lobengula suburb.

The man (18), who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, allegedly called the minor into his room on Thursday last week. Once inside the room, the man allegedly fondled the five-year-old’s privates before inserting his finger into the boy’s anus. He allegedly went on to insert his penis between the minor’s buttocks.

The man appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube facing aggravated indecent assault charges.

Mr Ncube did not ask the man to plead and remanded the matter to March 23 for provision of a trial date at the regional court.

He advised the man to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said on Thursday last week at around 9AM, the complainant was playing alone when the accused called him into his room.

“While inside his room accused lowered the minor’s trousers and shorts and started fondling his privates,” said Mr Mageza.

“He went on to make the complainant lean on the bed and he also knelt behind him before inserting his finger in the boy’s anus. The teen also inserted his penis between the complainant’s buttocks once before they left the room.”

The court heard that afterwards, the man took his victim to the shops and bought him some chips.

The matter came to light later that day when the minor narrated the ordeal to his grandmother who reported the matter to the police. The minor was referred to hospital for medical examination and a medical report may be produced in court as evidence.

@SlyCee10