Burglars break into girls dormitories and rape one

Two burglars broke into one of the girls dormitories at Guinea Fowl High School in Gweru on Sunday night and harassed a number of girls before they allegedly raped one of the pupils.

Thirteen pupils are at the moment being examined at Gweru Provincial Hospital for possible sexual abuse after the ordeal, according to sources.

The two burglars, according to police sources, broke into  an A-Level girls dormitory which had just been allocated to some Form Ones before they went on to fondle the breasts and buttocks of all the 13 girls who were in the dormitory.

One of the burglars later allegedly raped one of the girls, aged 13, the sources alleged.

Midlands police spokesperson, Inspector Patrick Chademana confirmed the break-in into the girls' dormitory at Guinea Fowl High School yesterday.
Insp Chademana, however, could not give further details into the matter and said police investigations were still in progress.

He said police were yet to get the full medical report of the girls who were allegedly sexually abused.

"We are investigating the matter and we cannot divulge any information into the investigations so far as this would jeopardise the whole process," he said.

Midlands Provincial Education director, Mrs Agnes Gudo who also confirmed the incident said psychologists from the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture were at the school on a children-counselling and investigative mission.

"We have sent a team following the disturbing incident and right now the team together with psychologists from the ministry are on the ground to gather more information on what really transpired on the day in question.

"You can contact us tomorrow (today) I hope we would have gathered full details into the matter," she said.

Sources close to the investigations said two suspects broke into the dormitory which had 13 Form One girls at about 3am on Sunday.

They said there were strong suspicions that the suspects had inside knowledge into the operations of the school because the dormitory which they broke into used to accommodate A-Level girls.

"The Upper Six had just been moved to a new dormitory and when the burglars broke inside, they plunged into Form One girls most of them aged between 12 and 13.

They went on to fondle the girls while searching for those girls with bigger bodies. They then managed to tear pants of two girls and a medical report has so far confirmed that only one girl, aged 13, was penetrated," said the source.

The source said following several screams and shouts for help from the girls, the two suspects then stole a suitcase which had one of the dormitory occupants' clothes before they made good their escape through the dormitory toilet windows.

"The stolen suitcase and some lady panties were then found dumped and strewn all over the school raising suspicion that the suspects could have had deliberately wanted to cause havoc and panic among the school authorities," he said.

The source said there were divisions at the school following the recent dismissal by the Ministry of Education of the school head, Mrs Beatrice Elwanger, for an alleged act of misconduct.

"Most of the teachers were against the dismissal of Mrs Elwanger by the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture after she went on an unsanctioned leave recently. The school is now ungovernable and there is total chaos," said the source.

Mrs Gudo, however, dismissed reports that there were any divisions following the "discharge" from duty of Mrs Elwanger.

"She (Mrs Elwanger) was not suspended as alleged. She was discharged as a result of some disciplinary procedure and the ministry is dealing with that issue," she said.