12-year-old ‘in love’ with rape accused
By Tendai Rupapa
A grade 7 pupil pleaded with a Harare magistrate not to jail a rape suspect saying the accused was in fact her lover.
The 12-year-old had sexual relations three times with the self-styled Johanne Masowe weChishanu prophet, Cornwell Kanganga (22).
This was after Kanganga proposed love to the minor and she agreed. This saw Kanganga being intimate with the minor between February and September this year.
Kanganga tried to evade jail by claiming the minor lied to him she was 16. When the victim took to the witness stand she asked the court to order her mother to leave the gallery.
She said she could not testify in her presence. When the mother obliged, the minor said her mother had forced her to report Kanganga to the police.
“He did not rape me. It was by consent because he is my boyfriend and I love him,” she said.
“Mama assaulted me and forced me to lie to the police that he raped me but the truth is I was never raped, I love my boyfriend.”
Her testimony left the court with no option but to convict Kanganga of a lesser charge of having sexual intercourse with a minor.
Regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya sentenced Kanganga to three years and three months in prison before setting aside nine months on condition of good behaviour.
Kanganga will serve two years and six months.
The court heard that it all began when the minor started attending the same church with Kanganga in February.
He proposed love to the minor.
Kanganga roped in his friend, Madzibaba Enoch, to persuade the girl to agree to his love proposal.
Madzibaba Enoch lied to the minor Kanganga would improve his performance at school through prayers if she agreed.
It was then that the minor fell in love with Kanganga.
They started having sex. Mr George Manokore prosecuted. The Herald
