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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
A PRIMARY school teacher in Binga who had a sexual relationship with a Form Four pupil has been acquitted of rape.

Johane Muchimba (39) is a teacher at Mpinami Primary and resides at Manjolo Business Centre.He was charged with one count of rape after the 18-year old girl alleged he had forced her into sex in a bush.The girl allegedly discovered that she was pregnant in February this year.

The two, a court heard, were known lovebirds in the area. Muchimba pleaded not guilty to raping the girl when he appeared before Hwange regional magistrate Mr Collet Ncube.

He was lucky after the court proved that the two were lovebirds and the girl had reported a case of rape after he denied responsibility for the pregnancy.

Mr Ncube found Muchimba not guilty and acquitted him because of insufficient evidence that a crime of rape was committed.

He advised the girl that she can apply for maintenance for the child once she gives birth.Prosecuting, Ms Memory Munsaka had said the rape took place in January this year.

“On January 29 and at 6PM, the complainant went to a nearby borehole to fetch water in the company of her sister’s stepdaughter. The accused followed them and told the other girl to go back home after which he pulled the complainant to a nearby bush and tripped her to the ground,” said the prosecutor.

She said Muchimba allegedly undressed the girl and mounted her.

The complainant allegedly tried to push him off but he overpowered her and raped her once, it was alleged.

The court had been told that Muchimba threatened to beat up the girl if she told anyone about the rape. She didn’t tell anyone until a month later when she discovered that she was pregnant.

The girl told her aunt about the issue and a report was made to the police. She was referred to Binga District Hospital where she was examined. — @ncubeleon