Serial minors rapist caged 30yrs

Grace Nyoni, Midlands Reporter
A 22-YEAR-OLD man from Shurugwi has been slapped with a 30-year prison term for raping three minors from the same village.

Chengetai Gova from Impala farm in Shurugwi appeared before regional magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing three counts of rape.

He pleaded guilty to the charges saying he committed the offences after being bewitched by his uncle.

“I blame this on my uncle, a miner who is using muti on me to grow his business. Because of him, girls don’t even want to fall in love with me,” said Gova.

Mrs Msipa convicted him and sentenced him to 30 years in jail before suspending five years on condition of good behaviour.

In passing sentence, Mrs Msipa said the accused pre-planned the rape and deflowered the little girls.

“According to the law, if one commits a crime for the first time he or she is not usually given a custodial sentence. However, in this situation, you turned to be a notorious rapist after you failed to respect the rights of the girls. While you pleaded guilty and didn’t waste the court’s time, the gravity of your crime calls for a lengthy custodial sentence. You are sentenced to 30 years in prison of which five years are suspended on condition of good behaviour,” said Mrs Msipa.

It was the State case that on September 10 at around 2PM, the first complainant (8) was going to school in the company of her classmates when Gova emerged from the bush near a road they were walking along, grabbed her and disappeared with her into the bush.

The court heard that the complainant screamed but Gova muffled her mouth using his palm before raping her once.

On October 5 and using the same modus operandi, Gova raped two girls aged 8 and 10 after again way laying them on their way to school before raping them once each.

All matters were reported to the police leading to the arrest of Gova.

Mr Kelvin Guveya appeared for the State.

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