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Thandeka Moyo Court Reporter
A TRAUMATISED 15-year-old Nkayi girl who was allegedly raped by her cousin and threatened with death has dropped out of school. The teenager, who should be in Form 4 this year, told Bulawayo magistrate Sibongile Marondedze that she developed a rash in her privates after the rape late last year. Her cousin, who cannot be named to protect the girl’s identity, pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody on rape charges to April 29.

“I was sleeping with my sibling when my cousin, whom I regarded as a brother, snuggled up behind me and cupped my mouth with his hand. I tried screaming but he overpowered and raped me,” said the girl.

“He produced a knife saying he would use it to kill me if I told anyone. After two weeks, he was seen pinning me against the wall which made my grandmother suspicious.”

The girl said she developed a rash which healed after two weeks.

Taking to the witness stand, the girl’s grandmother said she became suspicious when she saw the accused near the girl’s hut at around 2AM on the day she was raped.

“I questioned her and she revealed that she was raped on November 28. I told our village police leading to his arrest. From that day, she has refused to go to school,” she said.

In his defence, the man said the family had failed to pay his wages for five months and was fabricating the story to fix him.

“I worked for these people for free as they didn’t pay me. This rape story was just a creation to tarnish my image,” he said.

The girl’s grandmother said they had not hired him as they could not afford to pay anyone.