Man jailed 15 years for raping ex-wife at knifepoint

A 35-year-old Bulawayo man has been sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison after being convicted of raping his former wife while threatening her with a knife.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the complainant, was convicted of rape by Bulawayo regional magistrate Shingai Mutiro.

In passing sentence, Magistrate Mutiro said the use of a dangerous weapon and threats were aggravating circumstances that warranted a lengthy custodial sentence.

"The accused violated the victim's dignity by engaging in unprotected sex, thereby exposing her to sexually transmitted infections," he said.

The court heard that the accused initially confronted the complainant and her boyfriend before forcing his way into the woman's home.

Prosecuting, Owen Mugari told the court that on August 10, the complainant was sleeping with her boyfriend at his home when the accused arrived and threatened them.

"The accused ordered the complainant to get dressed so that he could escort her to her place of residence," Mugari said.

The accused accompanied the complainant to her home and was asked to leave.

However, the court heard that he pretended to comply before returning and entering the complainant's bedroom.

He then allegedly got into the complainant's blankets and raped her.

The matter was reported to the police, leading to the accused's arrest, prosecution and subsequent conviction.

The court ultimately sentenced him to an effective 15 years in prison.