A woman from Mberengwa offered her 16-year-old stepdaughter to be raped by a fellow villager in exchange for a 250g packet of kapenta fish.
The woman (name supplied) and the fellow villager Innocent Zhou, who raped the girl last week, appeared before Magistrate Mr Christopher Maturure facing rape charges as defined in section 65 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act chapter 9.23.
Both accused persons are from Mugwira Village under Chief Mposi in Mberengwa and were not asked to plead. They were remanded in custody to 21 August and advised to apply for bail at the High court.
Representing the state, Miss Sarah Matonga told the court that sometime in July this year the girl’s stepmother approached Sibanda and asked him to assist in cash or kind. She allegedly offered Zhou to do as he pleased with her stepdaughter in exchange for the assistance he would have offered.
The court heard that Sibanda offered a 250g packet of kapenta fish which the woman accepted and ordered her stepdaughter to do as Zhou ordered. It is alleged that the woman gave Zhou and the girl a room at her homestead where Zhou allegedly raped the girl once.
The matter only came to light after the girl confided in her friend who advised her to report the matter to the police. A report was made leading to the arrest of Zhou.
The girl’s stepmother allegedly fled her homestead on hearing that the matter had been reported to the police. She was later arrested after police investigations unearthed her whereabouts. Sunday News
