Pupils rape classmate

TWO Form Three pupils at a school in Hwange have been arrested for taking turns to rape a classmate. The pupils blamed their actions on watching pornography.

A probation officer's report said the two boys, both aged 16, were delinquent and always absconded lessons to indulge in drugs and beer with older men. Both are in the same class with their victim at Chilisa Secondary School in Empumalanga suburb.

The two boys pleaded guilty to rape when they appeared before Hwange regional magistrate Mrs Dambudzo Malunga who sentenced each to receive four strokes with a rattan cane.

In addition, each of the boys was sentenced to two years in jail which was wholly suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.

The magistrate said she considered the probation officer's report in coming up with a sentence.

"The probation officer's report states that the accused are troublesome and mischievous in school while they're also disrespectful to their parents and guardians," said Mrs Malunga.

One of the boys stays with his grandmother while the mother is in South Africa and the second one stays with his widowed mother.

"The first accused goes home late from school and spends most of his time with older men drinking beer and taking drugs. He is always in trouble with school authorities while the second accused always absconds school to watch porn," said the magistrate.

Asked why they committed the crime, each blamed their actions on porn.

"I wanted to experience what I always watch on pornographic films," said one boy.

The other said: "I admired what he had done and I also wanted to experience the same."

Prosecuting, Mr Tawanda Sigauke narrated how the boys waylaid their victim on her way from school and raped her in the bush.

"The complainant was walking home from school at midday on July 19 when she passed by the two accused who were sitting under a tree on the side of the foot path," he said.

Mr Sigauke said both boys grabbed the girl by the hands and dragged her into the bush.

The boys tripped the girl and took turns to rape the girl before helping her to dress up. After the rape, the two boys accompanied the girl home as if nothing had happened.

When she arrived home she narrated her ordeal to her elder sister who accompanied her to the police station to file a report of rape leading to the arrest of the two.

The girl was examined at St Patrick's Hospital.