Nkosentsha Khumalo
A 67 Year Old Man from Northend suburb in Bulawayo has lowered the scale of trustworthiness man. His heinous acts perpetrated against minor girls are indescribable and deserve the longest jail term or even the death sentence.
A mother who trusted his former landlord with her children has been dealt a heavy blow as the landlord helped himself by fondling and raping the three juvenile daughters.
Gordon John Cruise, who is 67 Years of age and residing at Pump Maintenance Area along Khami Road, was found guilty of rape, indecent assault, and aggravated indecent assault charges after standing trial before Bulawayo regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga.
He had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Prosecutor Naison Chivayo told the Court that on several occasions during the year 2020 at an unknown date and month, Cruise who was by then residing alone at his workplace always visited his ex-tenant, Sharmaine Greenland (47).
Greenland would on numerous occasions grant him permission to take her three juvenile daughters and son to spend weekends at his residence (workplace), where the horrific incidents took place.
Greenland used to reside with her three children as a tenant to Cruise at the Pump Maintenance Area before moving out, and the children seemed to enjoy visiting the place for old memories’ sake.
Prosecutor Nelson Chivayo revealed in court that during the alleged weekend visits, Cruise would caress and ended up raping the little girls.
The girls were at times joined by their little brother while visiting the accused person.
According to the State papers, the first incident, Cruise fondled one of Greenland’s girls, a 13 Year Old during a sleepover when he found her sitting alone on a chair in one of the residence’s bedrooms.
Cruise then allegedly seduced the girl and forcibly removing her trousers and underwear, before groping her private parts.
On another different occasion, the state revealed that Cruise made a request to Greenland, for her 8 Year Old along with the younger brother to come for another visit at his house, which she consented.
During the visit, Cruise then employed one of his crooked antics when he offered the 8 Year old girl and her brother a diluted hot stuff beer concoction, which they childishly consumed, causing them to knock off into a deep sleep.
Cruise then took advantage of the girl’s inebriated state and raped her during the night. Her brother, who had during his drunkedness witnessed the old man mounting her sister and ripping off the clothes, attempted to intervene but was too intoxicated to stop the assault.
Even the young girl who was also drunk tried to fight and stop what was been unwillingly done to her but was powerless under the influence of heavy alcohol.
When she was now sober, she devulged the abuse to her mother and grandmother, subsequently leading to Cruise’s arrest.
The third indecent assault charge was later unveiled by the Police after they had filed for a 242 remand form giving them power to continue with their investigations, whilst Cruise was in custody remand.
Further police investigations revealed that Cruise had also indecently assaulted Greenland’s youngest daughter, a 6 Year old ECD B pupil, by groping her breasts, smacking her buttocks, and performing lewd acts on her.
The incident transpired when the 6 Year Old girl would have been left with Cruise while she visited their grandmother for weekends before she had moved out of Cruise’s residence.
At some point during the stay, the girl was allegedly fetching some water from the kitchen when Cruise who was eyeing on the little girl, fondled her breasts and smacked her buttocks, before licking her goodies.
Medical reports were presented as evidence during the trial. Despite being a first-time offender, Cruise received a 15 year prison sentence, with two years suspended on the condition that he does not commit any sexual offenses for five years.
Another year of the sentence was suspended for being a first time offender.
Another year was suspended since Cruise is already 67 Years Old, whereas a long custodial sentence will induce a sense of shock and ruin his life and mental health.
All three counts were taken under one charge for the purposes of avoiding a sentence which might ruin him.
This appalling case serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers posed by predators who exploit positions of trust to prey on vulnerable children.
Zim GBC News ©2024