Polygamist acquitted of rape

A PROMINENT businessman from Chirumanzu who was facing allegations of raping his wife's younger sister (18) has been acquitted.

Seviyasi Piki, a polygamist and well known Zanu-PF member with businesses dotted around Chirumhanzu pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape when he appeared before Regional Magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire.

At the close of the State's case, Mr Nemadire discharged Piki saying the evidence availed to the court did not add up, hence the court did not have faith in what the complainant was saying.

"The evidence given by the complainant is not credible. She took too long to report the matter; the complainant only reported the matter after the issue of a phone bill occurred," said the magistrate.

In his defence Piki said he did not rape his sister in-law.

"These allegations only surfaced when she was confronted about a $200 phone bill by her sister which accumulated when she was calling her boyfriend.

She wrongfully accused me and only wanted sympathy from relatives and decided to tarnish my image," said Piki.

Prosecuting, Mr Lloyd Mavhiza said in January 2015, the complainant was sent by her sister to clean her bedroom.

"As the complainant was cleaning, the accused person entered and locked the bedroom door. The accused person demanded sex from the complainant stating that she was using his money yet in the end she would be married to another man. The complainant refused the accused's request but he went on to rape her," said Mr Mavhiza.

"The complainant got dressed and went on to report the rape to her sister who is also Piki's wife but she did nothing about it."

He said on another day in the same month, Piki allegedly instructed the complainant to accompany him to his plot in Mvuma with his two children.

"Upon arrival the accused person assigned his workers and children to his shop which is located 50 metres away from his homestead.

"Piki returned home alone and found the complainant bathing. He went into the bathroom and lifted the complainant from the bath tub before he proceeded with her to the bedroom. The accused person who was already undressed raped the complainant once," Mr Mavhiza said.

He said the complainant reported the matter to her other sister, who is also married to Piki, but she allegedly covered up the matter.

The prosecutor said in April last year the complainant moved to Harare to stay with another sister.

Mr Mavhisa said the complainant started communicating with her boyfriend using her sister's land line before she was reprimanded for raising the phone bill.

"The sister called the complainant's boyfriend wanting him to explain what they would be talking about. The complainant's boyfriend then told her that they would be discussing her alleged rape by Piki," said Mr Mavhiza.

He said the complainant was reprimanded by her sister before she attempted suicide. The court heard that the complainant wrote a suicide note highlighting the rape incidents at the hands of the accused person.

"A report was made to the police by her brother who came from South Africa leading to the arrest of Piki," said Mr Mavhiza.