20 years in jail for Tsholotsho man kidnapped a woman, whipped her all the way to his homestead then raped her overnight.

A MAN from Tsholotsho who kidnapped a woman and whipped her all the way to his homestead where he raped her overnight has been sentenced to 20 years in jail.

Mqondisi Sibanda (32) had pleaded not guilty to kidnap and rape on Friday last week.

Sibanda said he did not have much to say and urged the court to take any action it deemed necessary.

Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Mr Chrispen Mberewere convicted Sibanda of both charges.

“According to the overwhelming evidence produced in this court that you even failed to challenge, you are found guilty as charged. In passing sentence we shall consider that you were drunk on the day in question. However, that doesn’t justify the humiliation that you caused the complainant to endure,” said Mr Mberewere.

“For kidnapping you shall be sentenced to five years in prison. Two will be suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. For rape, you shall be sentenced to 15 years in jail. Five years will be suspended on condition of good behaviour.”

Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa told the court that on March 11 this year, Sibanda went to the victim’s place of residence at around 11PM.

“Accused person pushed complainant’s door open and dragged her to his homestead. He whipped her all the way from her homestead to his. Upon arrival he stripped her and raped her at knifepoint, threatening to stab her if she screamed. Complainant escaped at 5AM. She reported the matter to her mother who accompanied her to the police,” said Mr Manyiwa.

Testifying, the victim told the court that Sibanda drew an Okapi knife from his pocket and ordered her to follow him.

“I was sleeping with my sister in our hut when he barged in. I resisted his order. I punched his hand that had an Okapi and it fell to the floor. My sister took it away and hid it. He grabbed me by the arm and ordered me to dress up. He force-marched me to his house. I tried to run away along the way but he caught up with me. He threatened to stab me if I tried to flee again,” she said.

The woman said when they got to his homestead; her attacker forcibly removed all her clothes and pushed her onto the bed.

“He raped me through the night. At 5AM, I asked him to release me but he refused. He went back to sleep and that was when I fled from his house. I narrated the ordeal to my mother,” she said. By Tanaka Mrewa. source-Chronicle