Girl (10) hospitalised after rape

A 10-year-old girl from Gweru spent one week in hospital and was left limping after she was raped several times in nine hours by her assailant who had threatened to burn down her mother's kitchen.

The girl who is doing Grade 5 at a local school had to undergo blood transfusion after she lost a lot of blood during the horrific act.

The court also heard that medical personnel at Gweru Provincial Hospital had to stitch up her private parts. This was heard during the appearance of Makesure Chikomba (33) before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing one count of rape.

Chikomba whose address was not given pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The matter was remanded to October 22 for judgment. Prosecutor Mr Kelvin Guveya told the court that on October 14 last year at around 7pm, at a plot on the outskirts of Gweru, the minor was home with her mother (43) when Chikomba allegedly arrived. Chikomba allegedly knocked at the kitchen door and the minor's mother attended to him.

The accused person allegedly asked for directions to a fellow villager's homestead.

The minor's mother allegedly showed Chikomba the path to use before she returned to the kitchen and closed the door behind her.

After a few minutes, Chikomba allegedly returned, stood by the door and proposed love to the victim's mother.

His proposal was turned down before he allegedly threatened to set the kitchen on fire. Sensing danger, the girl's mother instructed her daughter to stop whatever she was doing and flee from the scene.

 When the mother opened the door, the accused person who was standing by the door allegedly grabbed her and assaulted her once with an open hand while the child ran away shouting for help but to no avail.

The child's mother managed to free herself before running away but in a different direction from which her daughter had taken. The accused person left the mother and allegedly ran towards the child and caught her. Chikomba allegedly dragged her into a nearby bush.

When she tried to resist, Chikomba allegedly gripped her neck threatening to kill her and went on to assault her once on the face with an open hand. Chikomba allegedly dragged her further into a nearby maize field where he raped her several times.

Each time before he allegedly raped the child, Chikomba would forcefully insert his fingers in her privates.

At around 4am, he allegedly ordered her to go back home. The girl proceeded to her neighbours' homestead where she narrated her ordeal.

The neighbours took her to her mother before the matter was reported to the police on October 15. She was referred to Gweru Provincial Hospital for treatment where she was admitted for a week and had her private parts sutured.

A medical report, the court heard, indicated that she had severe lacerations on her genitalia. She had severe wounds, lost a lot of blood during the rape and had to undergo blood transfusion. She is now struggling to walk especially when its cold.