By A Correspondent- A 15-year- old boy from Magwiro Village under Chief Mataruse has appeared in court facing one count of rape after he raped his 12-year-old cousin while they were herding goats.

The boy pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared before Gweru magistrate Phathekile Msipha.
The passing of sentence was postponed on condition that the juvenile does not commit a similar crime in the next five years.

Prosecuting, Talent Tadenyika told the court that on a date not known but in September 2018, the complainant together with the accused were herding goats.

The accused person then asked to have sex with the complainant but she refused and started walking home.

On the particular day, the accused person asked to have sex with his cousin and his request was turned down.

The court heard that after being turned down, the accused forced himself on the complainant.

“He ran after her, caught up with her and pushed her to the ground before raping her once. After committing the crime, the teen threatened the girl with unspecified action if she told anyone about the matter,” said Tadenyika.

Tadenyika said on the following day, the complainant told her sister and her aunt about the incident.

“The complainant narrated the whole ordeal to her aunt and sister who then advised her to tell her grandmother.

Upon narrating the incident to her granny, she was told not to divulge the issue to anyone but that it should be kept as a secret by the family,” he said.

The court heard that the complainant resorted to telling her teachers about the incident.

“She told her teachers at Chipinda Primary School who then reported the matter to Buchwa Police Station leading to the teen’s arrest.”