Nkosentsha Khumalo
Imagine a world where you are stripped of sight, hearing, speech, and sanity. A world where you are defenseless, unable to cry for help and unable to see or hear the terror approaching.
For one unfortunate woman in Lupane, Matabeleland North Province, this nightmare became a harsh reality when a heartless man took advantage of the poor woman’s vulnerabilities and raped her in her own bed during the night.
The tragic incident which began as a seemingly peaceful night for the woman and her mother quickly descended into a horrifying ordeal as the offender broke into their hut and preyed upon the defenseless victim.
A 27-year-old man from Lupane has been arraigned before the Hwange Magistrate’s Court to face two criminal charges of unlawful entry and rape. The heinous nature of the rape offense was compounded by the fact that the victim, a 38-year-old woman, was not only mentally challenged but also blind, deaf, and unable to speak.
According the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA) , on June 24, 2024, at around 8 p.m., the complainant, a visually impaired woman, who is mentally challenged, and unable to hear or speak, went to bed with her mother, who is also blind, shortly after their evening meal.
Little did they know that the darkness that enveloped their humble abode would soon be shattered by the depraved actions of a man whose wickedness knew no bounds.
On that fateful night, the complainant, a woman with multiple disabilities, visited the toilet before returning to her bedroom and closing the door behind her, securing it with a stool for protection.
In the intervening moments, the accused person forcefully entered the same bedroom, unbeknownst to the sleeping victims, the complainant and her mother.
The complainant’s brother, out of concern for his family’s wellbeing, arrived at the residence later in the evening. After entering the bedroom hut, he used a flashlight to illuminate the surroundings and, to his dismay noticed the accused person’s presence in the complainant’s bed, hidden beneath her blankets.
The accused individual then emerged from the blankets, his appearance further revealed to be that of a man wearing only a pair of boxer shorts. At this moment, the accused attempted to make a hasty escape, but was obstructed by the complainant’s brother, who, with unflinching determination engaged in a desperate struggle with the man.
Ultimately, the brother’s efforts succeeded, and the accused was subdued and placed under arrest by the authorities.
Upon thorough investigation, the authorities discovered that the complainant had been brutally violated, her body exposed and desecrated. She was found in a state of nudity, with traces of seminal fluid remaining on her intimate parts, a harrowing testament to the heinous rape that had been committed against her.
At the end of the state case, the court meted out a fitting punishment with the accused person being sentenced to 24 months imprisonment for the offense of unlawful entry and, for the egregious act of rape, a term of 20 years imprisonment.
The sentences were ordered to run consecutively, ensuring that the offender would spend 22 years behind bars for his despicable actions.
Zim GBC News© 2024