Boy (13) in court for raping 3 girls

Villagers from Mbalibali in Tsholotsho are threatening  to kill a 13-year-old boy arrested after allegedly raping  three school girls in a bush  on the same day in November last year.

The Grade 6 boy from Mbalibali area appeared before magistrate Mark Dzira at the Bulawayo Regional Court on Thursday and was referred to the Juvenile court.

He was charged with three counts of rape and three counts of aggravated indecent assault after he allegedly raped each one of the three girls once and inserted his fingers into their private parts after the act.

The teenager was represented by lawyer Nobuhle Moyo of SKM and partners.

A probation officer's report tendered in court stated the teenager's life was in danger as community members were threatening to kill him due to his alleged actions.

The report also noted the boy, who had once undressed in front of his classmates in the absence of a teacher, had been expelled after an application was filed with the district education office.

Dzira ruled that the child needed to be rehabilitated and recommended that he should be committed to a place of safety as he faced death threats from his community and was barred from attending school.

The state, represented by Tinashe Dzipe, sought authority to prosecute the matter from the prosecutor general.

It was alleged that on November 1 2013, the boy met the three girls who were heading home and he persuaded them to follow him into a bush.

When they were in the bush, he ordered them to remove their underwear before taking the first complainant further into the bush, leaving the other two girls at a distance.

He told the eight-year-old girl to lie down and he raped her.

After the act, the teenager reportedly inserted his fingers into her private parts before releasing her.

The boy performed the same act on the remaining pair.

The complainants disclosed what had occurred to their parents and a report was made to the police.