Man rapes teen as friend watches

A NEIGHBOURHOOD Watch Committee member landed himself in trouble when he arrested a 13-year-old girl for loitering before allegedly raping her in exchange for her release.

The 36-year-old Abednico Ndlovu of Mkhosana in Victoria Falls is understood to have committed the offence on their way to the police station in full view of his colleague who had accompanied him after catching the teenager with her boyfriend at night.

Ndlovu who had initially admitted the offence only to make a U-turn, shocked the court when he appeared before regional magistrate for the Western Region Mrs Dambudzo Malunga claiming that the teen (name withheld) had agreed to the arrangement after her boyfriend who had left to look for money to pay a fine failed to do so. He was remanded in custody to 26 January for judgment.

"Your worship I did have sex with complainant on terms of agreement after she and her boyfriend failed to find money to pay a fine at the police for loitering," Ndlovu said in his defence.

It is said that sometime on 9 January this year at around 9:30pm Ndlovu who was in the company of a fellow colleague met the complainant and her boyfriend standing opposite a house in Chinotimba. He told the two lovebirds that they were under arrest for loitering before advising them that he was taking them to ZRP Victoria Falls of which they complied.

On their way to the charge office they passed through the house belonging to the brother of the teen's boyfriend to ask for money to pay the fine. However, he told them he did not have readily available money but could secure it at Chinotimba bus terminus before leaving to look for it together with his younger brother.

Meanwhile, Ndlovu, his colleague and the complainant proceeded to the police station and along the way she asked them to stop by her uncle' s place to ask for money. Her efforts hit a snag as her uncle snubbed her and told her he would have none of it but her boyfriend should instead pay for her.

They continued with their journey until they reached Gwanzura Stadium at around 2am where Ndlovu ordered the complainant to give him a wrapping cloth she had which he used to spread on the ground before ordering her to lie down.

The court further heard that when the shocked teen refused Ndlovu produced a switch which he used to threaten to bash her. Overcome with fear she lay down before he wrapped on a condom and raped her once in full view of his friend.

After the act he instructed his friend to accompany the complainant back to her place of residence.
The complainant reported the matter to the police leading to his arrest before undergoing a medical examination.

Mr Tawanda Sigauke appeared for the State.