Zim GBC News | Crimes and Courts
A 37-year-old Bulawayo man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the kidnapping and rape of a 15-year-old girl, whom he plied with alcohol before assaulting her overnight at his home.
Sandile Ncube of Nketa 7 was convicted on both charges by Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr. Archie Wochiunga, who described the crimes as “heinous and premeditated.”
The court heard that Ncube betrayed the trust of the vulnerable minor after posing as a helpful stranger. Prosecutor Mr. Owen Mugari detailed the ordeal, which began on July 21 around 6 PM at Nketa 6 Shopping Centre.
“The complainant was crying after losing a shoe while running an errand,” Mugari told the court.
“The accused offered help and took her to his nearby house in Nketa 7, where he detained her for the entire night.”
Once inside his home, Ncube gave the girl alcohol until she became heavily intoxicated.
“The accused then took advantage of the complainant’s drunkenness and raped her throughout the night,” the prosecutor stated.
The girl’s guardians, her grandparents, who were initially aware of her location, grew concerned when she did not return home and filed a missing person report with the police.
“The following day, the girl returned home,” Mugari continued.
“When her worried grandparents questioned her about the previous night, she broke down and narrated the full ordeal, including the alcohol and rape.”
The matter was immediately reported, leading to Ncube’s arrest and subsequent prosecution.
In passing the 15-year sentence, Magistrate Wochiunga emphasized that Ncube had exploited the child’s distress and vulnerability, committing a grave violation that warranted a severe penalty.
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