Prosecutor jailed for altering facts in rape case

A regional public prosecutor in Chipinge has been jailed after a court found he deliberately altered key facts in a rape case involving a 13-year-old girl and her uncle.

Timothy Katsande (34) was sentenced to 12 months in prison by Mutare Provincial Magistrate Anne Ndiraya after being convicted of defeating the course of justice. The ruling followed revelations that Katsande drafted a false Statement of Agreed Facts that misrepresented the circumstances of the crime.

The court heard that the girl was raped by her 30-year-old uncle in Chipinge on 28 December 2024. The matter was swiftly reported to police, leading to the suspect's arrest two days later on a charge of rape under section 65 of the Criminal Law Code.

However, Katsande, who had been assigned to prosecute the case, produced a version of events that contradicted the official police docket. His statement wrongly claimed that the accused and the victim were not related and suggested the incident involved consensual sex.

As a result, the court accepted a guilty plea to a lesser charge of engaging in sex with a minor. The uncle was subsequently sentenced to 36 months in prison, with 12 months suspended, leaving him to serve an effective two-year term.

The victim's parents later challenged the authenticity of the agreed facts and reported the matter to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC). This led to Katsande's arrest and prosecution.

In delivering judgment, Magistrate Ndiraya sentenced Katsande to 12 months in prison. Seven months were suspended on condition of good behaviour, while a further five months were suspended on condition that he completes 245 hours of community service at Chipinge Hospital.

The case has sparked public concern over accountability within the justice system, with observers noting the seriousness of altering official records in cases involving vulnerable victims.