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Thandeka Moyo, Court Reporter
A 15-YEAR-OLD Bubi district rape victim walked for about 30km to Bulawayo while fleeing her uncle who allegedly raped her twice and threatened to kill her.

The girl, a Grade Seven pupil, who cannot be named for ethical reasons walked from Nkenyane to Cowdray Park and was given shelter by a Good Samaritan.

When she ran away from home her aunt, who failed to act when the girl told her that she had been raped, filed a missing person’s report.

When the Good Samaritan saw reports on social media and in newspapers that the girl she had taken into her home was being sought by her family, she notified the police.

Police interviewed the rape victim and she opened up about the alleged assault.

Her alleged rapist uncle aged 57 appeared before senior regional magistrate Mr Tranos Utahwashe yesterday and pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape.

Mr Utahwashe remanded him in custody to September 14 for continuation of trial.

The girl took to the witness stand and told of how she walked for about 30km in fear of being killed by her uncle who had raped and threatened to kill her.

“My uncle once forced me to watch him bath and when I refused, he said I was a coward. After his bath he raped me during the same night and I did not report to anyone as I feared being killed,” said the girl on camera.

“The second rape incident took place when my aunt whom I stay with was away. He came to our homestead which is near his and raped me once. When my aunt came back, I told her and she promised that we would report the matter the next day.”

The court heard that the next day her aunt decided to concentrate on her errands, then came back home late and no police report was made.

“When I realised my aunt had gone without reporting the case, I decided to flee from home until I got to a place called Cowdray Park where a certain woman helped me,” she said.

“After a few days, she told me that police were circulating a missing person statement with my details. I finally opened up about the rape incident when police were interrogating me.”

Her aunt testified that she could not confront her brother about the rape allegations as she was scared of being killed.

Prosecuting Mr Robin Mukura said sometime in August last year at around 3PM, the girl went into her uncle’s room to check time.

“He met her by the door and pushed her to the floor before raping her once. He then threatened to kill the girl if she told anyone about the matter,” said Mr Mukura.

“On May 25 this year at around 2PM, the girl was sleeping in her aunt’s bedroom. Her uncle entered the hut and found the girl alone. The man raped her once and went away.”

He said the case was first reported as a missing person on May 26 at around 7PM.

“The girl was located on July 10 this year in Cowdray Park. She revealed the truth to members of the police leading to the arrest of her uncle.”

@thamamoe