News / National
Caretaker rapes mentally challenged girl (11)
03 Nov 2013 at 02:31hrs | Views
A Seke man who raped a mentally challenged 11-year-old girl who had been left in his custody has been jailed for five years.
Taurai Mukonorwi (21) from Seke was found guilty of raping the juvenile while his employer, who is also the victim's grandmother, had gone for a funeral. Mukonorwi, who
was facing three counts of rape and three counts of unlawful entry, pleaded guilty to a single count of rape when he appeared before magistrate Ms Estere Chivasa.
The court heard that on 10 June 2013, in Savanhu Village, the juvenile's grandmother left her in the care of Mukonorwi as she went to attend a funeral in Harare.
At around 7pm, Mukonorwi is said to have entered a room where the juvenile was sleeping and raped her once. Two days later Mukonorwi is said to have pounced on the girl again as she watched television.
The matter came to light on 7 August this year when the complainant's the grandmother noticed a semen-smeared undergarment hidden in a wardrobe.
In mitigation, Mukonorwi shocked the court when he claimed that he was also a victim of abuse as he was being intimate with the juvenile's grandmother.
"This woman has been taking advantage of the fact that I am an orphan and have nowhere to go hence she asks me to sleep with her while I work without getting paid," Mukonorwi told the court.
In her judgment, Ms Chivasa noted that there was no evidence of forced entry as Mukonorwi worked at the homestead and could have had keys to the juvenile's bedroom.
She, however, found the accused guilty of being intimate with a juvenile with or without her consent and sentenced him to nine years behind bars.
Four years were suspended on condition that Mukonorwi does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
Ms Chivasa advised Mukonorwi that despite being incarcerated he can still make a police report on the allegations that he was being abused by the juvenile's grandmother.
Taurai Mukonorwi (21) from Seke was found guilty of raping the juvenile while his employer, who is also the victim's grandmother, had gone for a funeral. Mukonorwi, who
was facing three counts of rape and three counts of unlawful entry, pleaded guilty to a single count of rape when he appeared before magistrate Ms Estere Chivasa.
The court heard that on 10 June 2013, in Savanhu Village, the juvenile's grandmother left her in the care of Mukonorwi as she went to attend a funeral in Harare.
At around 7pm, Mukonorwi is said to have entered a room where the juvenile was sleeping and raped her once. Two days later Mukonorwi is said to have pounced on the girl again as she watched television.
In mitigation, Mukonorwi shocked the court when he claimed that he was also a victim of abuse as he was being intimate with the juvenile's grandmother.
"This woman has been taking advantage of the fact that I am an orphan and have nowhere to go hence she asks me to sleep with her while I work without getting paid," Mukonorwi told the court.
In her judgment, Ms Chivasa noted that there was no evidence of forced entry as Mukonorwi worked at the homestead and could have had keys to the juvenile's bedroom.
She, however, found the accused guilty of being intimate with a juvenile with or without her consent and sentenced him to nine years behind bars.
Four years were suspended on condition that Mukonorwi does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
Ms Chivasa advised Mukonorwi that despite being incarcerated he can still make a police report on the allegations that he was being abused by the juvenile's grandmother.
Source - sundaymail
