Cop 'rapes' runaway teen

A POLICE officer based at Hillside Police Station in Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl who ran away from home in search of a job as a maid.

Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya heard that a woman whom the juvenile approached on January 21 seeking employment took her to

Bulawayo Central Police Station and surrendered her to police officers.

Talent Maesera (24), a cop, allegedly interviewed the girl at the police station at around 8PM.

He subsequently called the juvenile's mother and asked her to come and collect her daughter, but the woman said she could not make it.

The girl allegedly ended up going to sleep at her friend's home.

Maesera allegedly called the girl on the following day and told her that he wanted to employ her as his maid and ended up raping her.

He was not asked to plead to a rape charge when he appeared before Mr Tashaya yesterday and was remanded to March 13 on $100 bail.

Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said on January 21, the juvenile was coming from school when she decided to look for a job in the CBD as a maid.

"Complainant met a woman whom she told she was looking for a job. The woman took the juvenile to Central Police station. Accused interviewed complainant at 8PM. He called her mother who said she could not come to collect her daughter," said Mr Dlodlo.

He said Maesera allegedly gave the juvenile a dollar for transport and took down her phone number.

"Complainant's mother called the police station at 6AM on the following morning requesting that the police release the juvenile. Complainant did not go home but she went to her friend's place of residence. At around 2PM, accused called her informing her that he wanted her to be her maid but he had to discuss the matter with his wife first," said Mr Dlodlo.

He said Maesera later gave the juvenile directions to his house and keys.

"Accused arrived home late and asked complainant to spend the night there. He offered her the bed while he remained watching television. He later joined her in bed and started fondling her. Complainant asked accused to leave her alone but he demanded sex as payment for providing her with a place to sleep.

He raped her once," Mr Dlodlo said.

He said the juvenile left Maesera's residence the following morning and returned to her friend's house.

Her family filed a missing person's report with the police on January 22.

"Police found the juvenile in the CBD on February 5 and handed her to her grandmother. She narrated her ordeal on February 28 and her grandmother made a police report leading to accused's arrest," Mr Dlodlo said.