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Sukulwenkosi Dube, Plumtree Correspondent
A 30-YEAR-OLD Bulilima man broke into the home of a 12-year-old mentally challenged girl while she was sleeping with her mother in the middle of the night and raped her.

The juvenile’s mother, who is also mentally challenged, fled from the homestead leaving her daughter at the mercy of her attacker.

Cecil Dumani of Mpimbila Village, who is a neighbour to the juvenile and her mother, appeared on initial remand before Plumtree magistrate, Gideon Ruvetsa, facing rape and unlawful entry charges.

He was remanded in custody to December 4. Prosecuting, Charlot Katerere said Dumani raped the juvenile on November 14 around 9PM.

“The juvenile and her mother who are both mentally retarded were sleeping in their bedroom hut.

Dumani knocked on the door but they did not respond.“He then cut off the rope which they had used to secure the bedroom door and gained entry.

He proceeded towards the juvenile and removed her clothes. He then raped her once,” said Katerere. She said the girl’s mother fled from the homestead and alerted a neighbour.

Katerere said the woman returned with the neighbour and they found Dumani having fled from the house. A report was made resulting in Dumani’s arrest.

In another incident, a 27-year-old man from Mangubo area in Bulilima appeared before the same magistrate for allegedly raping a nine-year-old girl. David Mpofu of Mangubo area allegedly raped the girl several times and gave her a packet of jiggies to buy her silence.

The juvenile remained quiet about the matter and two months later her grandmother noticed that she had developed sores on her private parts. Mpofu was remanded in custody to December 3.

Prosecuting, Clemence Shawarira said Mpofu waylaid the juvenile while she was playing with her friends.

“In the month of September, the nine-year-old girl left home around 8AM to play with her friends at a neighbouring homestead.

Mpofu approached her and invited her to his homestead and promised to give her a good present.

“He proceeded to his home with the girl and raped her several times. The juvenile screamed but Mpofu threatened to hit her with a log,” said Shawarira.

He said Mpofu only released her around 6PM and gave her a packet of jiggies.

Shawarira said the juvenile did not report what had transpired until her grandmother questioned her after noticing sores on her private parts. He said the girl disclosed what Mpofu had done to her on November 15 and her grandmother went on to report the matter resulting in his arrest.