Man rapes aunt at knife point

A 29-year-old man from Nyambi Village, Gwanda, will spend the next 15 years in prison after being convicted of raping his aunt at knifepoint in the middle of the night.

The man, whose identity has been withheld to protect the victim, denied the charge but was found guilty following a full trial before Gwanda Regional Magistrate Sithembiso Ndebele.

In sentencing, Magistrate Ndebele condemned the act as "an act of gross disrespect" and highlighted the premeditated nature of the crime. "You went to the complainant's homestead in the middle of the night and stormed her bedroom. This shows clear intent to harm and degrade. What makes it worse is that the complainant is your aunt," she said.

Prosecutor Zanele Sithole told the court that the assault occurred on 20 January, around midnight. The accused reportedly broke into his aunt's house using an iron bar, threatening to kill her and her family if she resisted.

"Upon arrival at the complainant's home, the accused person forcibly opened the door with an iron bar and demanded to sleep with his aunt amid threats to kill her and her family if she did not comply," Sithole explained.

The terrified 48-year-old victim endured the attack before the perpetrator fled. She immediately sought help from a neighbour, and the matter was reported to police, leading to the man's arrest.

During the trial, the accused attempted to claim he had been intoxicated and could not remember the incident. The court rejected this defense after the victim testified that he was sober and fully aware of his actions.

Magistrate Ndebele emphasized that such crimes have no place in society. "The court has a duty to protect women from such barbaric acts," she said before handing down the 15-year jail sentence.