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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
A Zvishavane couple has been arrested for allegedly assisting each other to rape their nine-year-old niece and infected her with a sexually transmitted infection.

The couple threatened to bury alive the niece who is doing Grade One if she dared report the rape to anyone.

This was heard when the couple appeared before Gweru regional magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing rape charges.

The two pleaded not guilty to the charge and were remanded to today for trial.

It is the State’s case that in March, the complainant was left under the custody of the couple as her mother attended a funeral.

The court heard that the niece cleaned the kitchen before proceeding to the sitting room to put two pots she had cleaned.

When the niece was at the door of the sitting room, the woman accused allegedly pushed the minor to the ground before calling her husband to come and see her.

The court heard that the woman accused removed the complainant’s clothes, pressed her hands down giving room for her husband to rape her.

The court heard that the man raped the girl once and after the assault the two threatened to bury her alive if she dared report the rape.

The court heard that the complainant reported the rape to her mother after three days leading to the arrest of the couple.

Mr Kelvin Guveya is appearing for the State.