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Wynne Zanamwe, Midlands Reporter
A 29-YEAR-OLD man from Gweru has appeared in court for allegedly raping and infecting his neighbour’s 16-year-old daughter with HIV.

The rape suspect, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor appeared before Gweru Magistrate Mr Musaiona Shotgame facing charges of rape and deliberate infection of HIV.

He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to Friday.

The magistrate advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecuting, Mr Ernest Muzembi said the suspect and the complainant were neighbours and he raped her for some months this year until the crime was reported to the police early this month.

“From a period extending from March to November the accused person made complainant to have sexual intercourse with him several times without her consent. The complainant was infected with HIV due to the rape and the accused threatened to kill the complainant if she ever revealed the matter to anyone,” said Mr Muzembi.

“The matter came to light when the complainant told her relatives that she had been sexually abused by the accused person several times. The complainant’s relatives went on to confront the accused person but he threatened to kill them if they went to report the matter to the police.”

The court heard that the complainant’s relatives accompanied her to make a formal report to the police, leading to the suspect’s arrest.

The complainant was referred to Gweru General Hospital where she was examined and a medical report was compiled showing that she was now HIV  positive.

@wynnezane