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Tanaka Mrewa, Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO teen wept as she begged prosecutors to drop charges against her uncle who allegedly raped her as punishment for having boyfriends. The girl (16) said her uncle was the bread winner in her family and many people would suffer if he went to jail.

“My parents died and he is the one paying my school fees. My uncle has three small children and if he goes to prison everyone will suffer. He raped me but I can suffer in silence for everyone’s sake,” said the girl with tears flowing down her cheeks at the set-down offices.

Prosecutors turned down her request.

The uncle, Liason Mbozi (30), allegedly parked his car by the road side while taking the juvenile to school last Wednesday and jumped to the back seat of the vehicle where she was seated.

He allegedly accused his niece (name withheld to protect her identity) of having boyfriends.

Mbozi, the court heard, made her kneel down before raping her once. Bulawayo Magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya did not ask Mbozi to plead to a rape charge and remanded him in custody to today.

Prosecuting, Mr Taurai Hondoyemoto told the court that after the sex attack, Mbozi dropped his niece at school. “Accused ordered complainant not to disclose the matter to anyone. He then proceeded to drop complainant at school. Complainant broke down when she entered the school yard. Two female teachers calmed her down,” he said.

Mr Hondoyemoto said the niece narrated her ordeal to her teachers who reported the matter to the police leading to Mbozi’s arrest.

@tannytkay