‘Binga man rapes seventeen month old niece, who was previously raped in Tsholotsho at the age of five months’

A Binga man, Moses Sibanda, was yesterday sentenced to 15 year behind bar for raping a 17 months old baby.

Two years were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour and that the accused does not within the that period commit any offence of a sexual nature.

During the trial the child’s mother Mrs Siphathisiwe Dube told the court that on the 5th of April this year, she and her mother went to the fields leaving the baby in the custody of her young brothers Ngonidzashe Mpofu, Trust Moyo and Mthokozisi Mpala.

Upon her return, she observed that her daughter was not feeling well and cried persistently.

She went on to tell the court that the baby refused to eat porridge and cried until next morning, then she decided to examine her.It is at that time that she discovered the child’s private parts were swollen, open and reddish on the sides.

With the help of her mother, they squeezed child’s private parts and semen came out, then a report was made to Lusulu Police Station.

The chief witness Ngonidzashe Mpofu confirmed to the court that he found the child crying while sitting on Sibanda’s legs with her pants removed.

The child was taken to St Lukes Hospital in Lupane and later referred to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo where she was detained for one month to undergo treatment.

The magistrate said the sentence is appropriate in the circumstances to send a message to the society that courts will continue to contribute to the protection of the girl child.

The child is also said to have been raped on a different occasion in Tsholotsho at the age of five months.
Source – ZBC