News / National
MDC-T activist gets 19 years for raping friend's 12 year old daughter
26 Jan 2012 at 06:32hrs | Views
AN MDC-T youth leader who raped his friend's 12-year-old daughter was yesterday jailed for 19 years. Johanes Mwandama (30) denied five counts of rape charges when his trial opened before Chitungwiza regional magistrate Mr Never Katiyo. But he was convicted on two of the five counts after a full trial.
Mr Katiyo acquitted him of the other three charges after the State failed to provide overwhelming evidence. He sentenced Mwandama to 24 years in prison but set aside five years on condition of good behaviour.
In passing the sentence, Mr Katiyo took into account that Mwandama showed no remorse for his misdeeds since he perpetrated the act on a child.
"You, as a family man should have taken into consideration the consequences of your actions. Now you have exposed this young girl to trauma for the rest of her life," he said.
"Your defence holds no water. You claimed that the girl's mother was working with some of your party officials to discredit you but from the evidence led in this court it clearly showed that the woman is not politically active."
Prosecutor Ms Joice Fusire proved that Mwandama, who is a friend to the girl's father, visited their home as usual and found the girl alone. He reportedly took advantage and raped her before threatening her with death.
Mwandama would occasionally visit the girl's house looking for his friend even when knowing he was not around.
He would enter into the girl's room and rape her before accompanying her to the bathroom to clean herself.
Mr Katiyo acquitted him of the other three charges after the State failed to provide overwhelming evidence. He sentenced Mwandama to 24 years in prison but set aside five years on condition of good behaviour.
In passing the sentence, Mr Katiyo took into account that Mwandama showed no remorse for his misdeeds since he perpetrated the act on a child.
"You, as a family man should have taken into consideration the consequences of your actions. Now you have exposed this young girl to trauma for the rest of her life," he said.
Prosecutor Ms Joice Fusire proved that Mwandama, who is a friend to the girl's father, visited their home as usual and found the girl alone. He reportedly took advantage and raped her before threatening her with death.
Mwandama would occasionally visit the girl's house looking for his friend even when knowing he was not around.
He would enter into the girl's room and rape her before accompanying her to the bathroom to clean herself.
Source - TH
