Raped girl’s mother to be probed

‘Lied to protect perpetrator with whom she had a relationship’

THE mother of Odwa Nkololo’s first rape victim, a 7-year-old girl, will be probed for obstructing the ends of justice, while social services will be investigating the child’s safety under her care. The mother, whose name is withheld to protect the identity of the child, is alleged to have influenced the child’s testimony in court to protect Nkololo, with whom she has close relations.

Yesterday, Acting Judge Diane Davis ordered that the court’s registrar write a letter to the National Prosecuting Authority requesting that they investigate the mother. She further ordered the registrar to write a letter to the provincial social services department to investigate the child’s care. This is after Davis found Nkololo guilty of raping the girl.

In her judgment, Davis said the girl’s mother recently had a baby with Nkololo. She said according to Nkololo, the two maintained their relationship. The girl was raped on March 24, last year, just a month after Nkololo raped and murdered 4-yearold Town Two, Harare, girl Iyapha Yamile.

Nkololo was convicted of Iyapha’s rape and murder on Monday.

On the day of the girl’s rape incident, her mother had left the house early to head to work. She left the child asleep in the care of Nkololo, who was supposed to take the girl to a relative’s home once she was awake.

Instead, Nkololo undressed her, removing her tights and panties.

“Shortly thereafter she (the girl) complained to relatives that the accused had raped her. In her words, he ‘inserted his penis into her vagina’. On inspection, her panties were soiled with white substance and brown substance.

“Semen (was) found which had DNA samples that matched the accused. Semen found in her panties was found in the drainage area from her anus,” said Judge Davis.

The little girl gave the court a “watered down” version, but the testimony of relatives, based on what they were told by the girl, corroborated forensic evidence.

In addition, the relatives said the child’s mother asked them not to tell the girl’s father and maternal grandmother about the rape.

One of the witnesses said the girl had told her it was not the first time Nkololo had raped her and that she had told her mother, but her mother said she should not to tell anyone, or he would kill her.