Harare — A Harare gardener was last week thrown behind bars for an effective nine years for raping his employer’s 10-year-old daughter.
Whatmore Tembo (25) had denied the charge of rape when his trial commenced at Harare Magistrates’ Court.
However, regional magistrate Mr Daniel Shonhiwa found him guilty after the prosecution established a strong case against him.
Mr Shonhiwa sentenced him to 14 years in jail but suspended five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence for five years.
In sentencing Tembo, Mr Shonhiwa accepted prosecutor Mr Dumisani Mthombeni’s call for a custodial sentence.
“Rape is one of the worst forms of invasion against anyone’s privacy. The complainant due to her tender age did not really appreciate what was happening to her. At the age of 25 accused was then mature to marry his own wife so as to quench his sexual desires or approach any consenting lady aged 18 and above,” he said.
He also noted that the High Court had urged the lower courts to pass deterrent sentences to rapists in the wake of HIV and Aids.
Mr Mthombeni proved that on April 11 last year, Tembo called the girl outside the house and took her to a secluded place. Tembo asked the girl to remove her clothes before raping her. The Herald
