BIKITA – A 19-year-old man from Bikita has been sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison after being convicted of raping his 73-year-old grandmother, in a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Chief Mazungunye’s area.
Masvingo Regional Magistrate Innocent Bepura handed down the sentence after the court heard how the teenager attacked his elderly grandmother at her homestead on the night of January 16, 2024, at around 11pm.
In passing judgment, Magistrate Bepura was scathing in his assessment of the offence, emphasising the vulnerability of the victim and the gravity of the betrayal.
“It is not in dispute that sexual intercourse occurred, but the issue is of consent. The complainant’s evidence shows that force was used,” said Magistrate Bepura.
The court heard that the elderly woman was asleep when she heard a knock on her door. The grandson claimed he had been sent by a relative from Masvingo. However, when the grandmother tried to open the door, she noticed that her grandson had partially covered his face with a cloth.
Realising the danger, she attempted to close the door, but the teenager overpowered her. He broke in and proceeded to rape his grandmother once. During the assault, the cloth covering his face fell off, and the woman was able to clearly identify her attacker as her own grandson.
The victim tried to scream for help, alerting neighbours who rushed to her homestead. However, by the time they arrived, the convict had already escaped. A police report was subsequently filed, leading to his arrest.
In a bizarre and disturbing defence, the teenager told the court that he had been in a sexual relationship with his grandmother since he was in primary school, claiming that their encounters were consensual. He further alleged that his grandmother only reported the case to the police after he failed to buy her a blanket.
The court rejected this defence, with Magistrate Bepura noting that the use of force was clearly established by the evidence of the complainant. The prosecution, led by Innocent Mudzingwa, successfully argued that the convict had committed a serious offence, particularly given the advanced age of the victim and the familial relationship.
The magistrate sentenced the teenager to a lengthy prison term, reflecting the severity of the crime and the breach of trust involved in raping a close relative who was supposed to be under his protection.
The case has highlighted the disturbing reality of sexual violence within families, especially against elderly women who are often the most vulnerable members of rural communities.
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