Girl gang-raped by 3 juveniles

A Form Two pupil at a Bulawayo school was allegedly gang-raped by three juveniles who had volunteered to accompany her to Nketa 9 suburb when she got lost in Pelandaba suburb.

She was allegedly given a one dollar note and one rand coin by one of the accused to buy her silence.

The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday in the evening near Siyephambili Drive after the three boys (names withheld because of their age) from Iminyela Flats had volunteered to accompany her to the bus stop where she could get kombis to Nketa.

The girl was reportedly a member of the school's drama club and had left school in the afternoon for the Amphitheatre at Centenary Park with colleagues where there were drama competitions.

It is alleged that after the drama competitions at about 6pm, the girl discovered she had lost her bus fare.

She reportedly went to a bus stop near Modern Motors along 11th Avenue where after narrating her ordeal to a tout, he advised her to board his kombi which was going to Pumula suburb and offered to take her to Nketa after dropping passengers.

While in the kombi, the tout reportedly told the girl he was no longer proceeding to Nketa as he had been advised through the phone to go somewhere.

That is when the accused juveniles who were in the kombi offered to accompany her.

The three juveniles were on Wednesday arraigned before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Themba Chimiso facing four counts of rape.

They were not asked to plead and were remanded out of custody to 12 June on $80 bail each.

It is the State's case as presented by Ms Fiona Ncube that on 26 May at about 6pm, the girl boarded a kombi to Pumula instead of her house in Nketa and dropped at Total Garage in Mpopoma.

One of the accused persons allegedly offered to accompany her and the other two followed behind.

The court heard that when they got to the bush near Kelvin North Industrial area, one of the accused produced a knife, which he pointed at the girl's ribs before pushing her down.

One of the three accused juveniles allegedly covered the girl's mouth with his hand and one of them raped her once.

The court was told that while he was still raping her, the other juvenile allegedly bit him on the back so that he could give him an opportunity and he also raped the girl once.

While he was raping her, it is alleged the other two pulled him away and the third juvenile also raped her once.

It is alleged that when the girl was dressing up, one of the three accused pushed her down and raped her again.

The girl reportedly managed to free herself and fled towards Siyephambili Drive leaving her school bag and pair of shoes but the three accused chased after her.

She allegedly waved down a car going towards Nketa and one of the accused persons also boarded the same car.

The court heard that the girl sat behind the driver's seat and while they were approaching Tshabalala Police Station she directed the driver using signs to turn into the police station and he complied.

The girl then reported the abuse, leading to the arrest of the accused person, who then implicated others.

The girl was referred to Mpilo Central Hospital. She told the police the three juveniles threatened to kill her if she reported them to anyone.