Cousin ‘rapist’ (17) faces four counts

A 17-YEAR-OLD boy from Nkayi allegedly raped his 11 year old cousin after she turned down his love proposal.

The teenager who cannot be named to protect the identity of his juvenile cousin is facing four counts of rape.

He was not asked to plead yesterday before magistrate Mr Crispen Mberewere.

Mr Mberewere remanded him in custody to September 5 for commencement of trial.

The court heard that the state was making arrangements to acquire a legal representative for the teenager.

Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa said the teenager raped the minor this year.

“Sometime in February at around 6PM the juvenile was sent by her mother to ask for maize cobs at his (the teenager) home,” he said.

“He later accompanied the juvenile on her way back, proposed love to her and she turned him down. He forcefully fondled her chest, pushed her to the ground and raped her once,” he said.

The court heard that the minor narrated the ordeal to her brother’s wife who advised her to keep the matter secret from her mother.

Mr Manyiwa said on July 9 at around 7PM he raped her again when her mother was at a funeral.

“The teenager broke the lock on her bedroom door and slept next to her. She jumped off the bed and joined her younger siblings who slept on the floor,” he said.

Mr Manyiwa said: “The teenager pretended to leave the room only to return a few minutes later. He raped his cousin twice. After the act he slept holding her.”

“Around 5AM, the next day he raped her again and left. Her mother arrived at around 6AM from the funeral and found her crying.” She told her what had happened. A report was made at Nkayi Police Post leading to the teen’s arrest.—@MondelaC.