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Melody Baya Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO woman yesterday withdrew rape charges against her cousin’s 26-year-old boyfriend saying she had forgiven him after meeting his family.

The 23-year-old woman told Provincial Magistrate Abednico Ndebele that she had spoken to the accused, Nkosikhona Dlodlo’s family and decided to forgive him.

Dlodlo who is a boyfriend to the complainant’s cousin, his friends, the complainant, the cousin and a friend met on Christmas Eve and went to a party and later slept at Dlodlo’s place.

The following morning, the woman woke up and discovered that she had been raped.

She reported the matter to the police and Dlodlo was arrested but she decided to forgive him after meeting his family.

She did not reveal her conversation with Dlodlo’s family.

“I spoke to his family and I’ve decided to forgive him,” said the woman.

Dlodlo told the court that if the case had proceeded to trial, he was going to deny the charges.

“We were both drunk on the day of the alleged incident. We started fondling and caressing each other and one thing led to the next,” said Dlodlo.

Ndebele said Dlodlo was free after the woman withdrew the case.

Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza narrated the events that took place leading to Dlodlo’s arrest.

He said on December 24, 2015, Dlodlo who was in the company of his friends met the woman who was in the company of her cousin and a friend.

They then went to a party as a group.

“After the the party they proceeded to Esibayeni, a drinking spot in Mpopoma where they didn’t spend much time and went to the city centre. There they bought meat and beer, and they all went to Dlodlo’s house,” said Mageza.

“When they got to the house the three ladies went to a bedroom and locked themselves in. Dlodlo and his friends then asked the women to open the door and join them, which they did.”

The prosecutor said Dlodlo then invited the three women to drink some beer in the kitchen.

“The complainant’s cousin and the friend declined saying that they should call them when the meat was ready and went back to the bedroom leaving the complainant with Dlodlo in the kitchen,” said Mageza.

The prosecutor said on December 25, at around 6AM her cousin together with their friend woke up and discovered the complainant was not in the same bedroom with them.

“They woke up and looked for her and found her in a drunken state and they also discovered that her pair of jean trousers was pulled to the ankle but she was wearing her pant and blouse and Dlodlo wasn’t in the room,” said Mageza.

“Dlodlo came into the room and he helped them dress the complainant who was still asleep. When asked what transpired, Dlodlo said that he had removed the complainant’s pair of jeans after she said she was feeling hot,” said the prosecutor.

Mageza said after waking up, the woman felt some pain and discomfort in her private parts.

“After waking up the complainant felt pain and discovered that there was some fluid on her pant which she didn’t understand. She asked Dlodlo what had happened to her but he couldn’t give a satisfactory answer. She then reported the matter to the police leading to Dlodlo’s arrest,” said Mageza.