Prophet caged for raping minor

A 57- YEAR-OLD prophet from Mberengwa has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping a 16-year-old girl after claiming he was removing evil scars from her private parts.

The accused, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape when he appeared before Regional Magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire.

The magistrate convicted and jailed him to 20 years for both counts.

Five years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

In passing sentence, Mr Nemadire said the prophet took advantage of a girl who, judging by her age, could be his grandchild.

“You were a prophet and the complainant and her mother took you in, but you took advantage of that and sexually molested the complainant.

“The age difference is wide and you could have been the complainant’s grandparent and you should have been responsible for her as you would have to your own grandchild,” said the magistrate.

“You have pleaded not guilty to the two counts saying that you were in a relationship with the minor and the two of you had agreed to have sex.

“However, the complainant said that you forced yourself on her and the doctor’s letter shows that there were tears on her hymen that were still fresh.”

Mr Nemadire rejected the prophet’s claims that he intended to marry his victim upon finishing Form Four.

In his defence, the convict said the complainant had agreed to have sexual relations with him.

“I deny raping the complainant. We had actually agreed on having sexual intercourse on the night in question.

“She was the one who came to where I was sleeping and started to seduce me.

“Also her mother was the one who had facilitated my visits and pushed me to ask her to marry me,” he said.

Prosecuting, Mr Kelvin Guvheya said in May, the complainant and her mother met the prophet and he told them that the complainant had evil scars on her body and they were supposed to be removed.

“On June 6, the accused removed scars on the complainant’s toes and fingers and told the complainant that he was now tired and would come back the following day.

“The accused forgot his knobkerrie in the bedroom hut and he came back the following day at around midnight knocking at the complainant’s bedroom.

“The accused said that he had forgotten his knobkerrie and also wanted to remove the remaining evil scars on her body,” said Mr Guvheya.

He told the complainant that the remaining scars were on her private parts and he was supposed to shave her pubic hair.

Soon after he had shaved her, he forced the complainant to lie down and raped her twice.