‘Sex attack’ teacher in court

By Thandeka Moyo

A FORMER Nyamandlovu temporary teacher, who allegedly raped a pupil when she was doing Grade Five two years ago, was recently arrested when he returned to the school and tried to molest the minor again, a court heard.

In 2013, Bonfas Ndlovu, 35, would allegedly send the whole class to the playground and remain behind raping the pupil in the classroom.

He would, the court heard yesterday, use a chalk board duster to wipe off his semen after the act on the pupil who was 10-years-old at the time.

Ndlovu left the school in 2013 but allegedly returned late last year and tried to rape the same pupil.

The pupil’s younger sister allegedly scuttled his plan when she reported him to a neighbour.

Ndlovu who was a stand-in teacher at Zimdabule Primary School appeared before regional magistrate Chrispen Mberewere facing rape charges.

He pleaded not guilty.

In his defence, Ndlovu said the school was using the girl to stop him from asking for his salary.

“I only spoke to this girl advising her to take school work seriously. I never raped or attempted to rape her. This is a cooked up story to discourage me from demanding my due wages which the school is refusing to pay,” said Ndlovu.

The girl’s stepmother said she had gone to a funeral wake in Bulawayo when she received a phone call informing her that he daughter was almost raped.

“I rushed back to Nyamandlovu. When I asked my daughter, at first she didn’t reveal that she had been raped by Ndlovu. I kept on asking and she finally told me that Ndlovu had raped her the previous year,” said the woman.

She told the court that Ndlovu was once arrested for allegedly raping another pupil at the school but villagers were shocked to see him walk scot free.

“I used to ask my daughters if Ndlovu had abused her in any way as we heard that he was once arrested for rape. My daughter failed to report Ndlovu saying he had threatened to kill her if she revealed the matter to anyone,” said the girl’s mother.

The girl’s younger sister who saved her from the second rape ordeal also testified in camera and told the court that their neighbour had tipped off members of the neighbourhood watch committee leading to Ndlovu’s arrest.

Mberewere remanded Ndlovu out of custody to May 19 for the defence case.

Prosecuting Concilia Ncube alleges that during the month of July, 2013 Ndlovu dismissed the whole class ordering them to go play and remained with the girl.

Ncube said Ndlovu undressed the child and undressed himself while threatening to assault her if she made any noise.

“When he was about to rape the girl, he noticed other children were coming back. He quickly dressed up and told them to play far away from the classroom,” said Ncube.

She told the court Ndlovu went back to the class and continued with his act.

“The girl saw white fluid flowing down her thighs and Ndlovu took a chalk duster and wiped it off.

“Ndlovu dressed up and ordered the girl to dress and not tell anyone about the incident,” said Ncube.

On November 21 last year, Ndlovu approached the girl while her stepmother was away and told her he wanted to have sex with her, the court heard.

Ncube narrated how Ndlovu ordered the girl to follow him to the community gardens and the girl notified her young sister.

“The younger sister went to their neighbour whose husband is a member of the neighbourhood watch committee. She told her Ndlovu was about to harm her sister,” she said.

The court heard the voluntary cops found Ndlovu waiting for the minor at the orchard.

He allegedly tried to run away when he saw them approaching but they gave chase and arrested him. The Chronicle