The ManicaPost
Luthando Mapepa
A 54-YEAR-OLD Johane Marange Church devotee allegedly betrayed the trust bestowed on him by an unsuspecting church member to offer him accommodation at her place of residence by raping her.
The accused, Area Bangidza of Chayamiti Village in Chief Mutambara’s area, was arrested on July 27 for allegedly raping a complainant aged 27 from Matiyatye Village in Chief Muusha’s area.
Chipinge District police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Blessing Kadzuraumera confirmed the arrest of Bangidza and said he was assisting them with investigations.
“The accused and complainant are not related, but are church-mates at Johane Marange Apostolic Church. On the day not known by the police, but in July at around 11pm, the two were coming from a church service together on their way home.
“On their way home, Bangidza asked the complainant to offer him a place to sleep since it was late in the night. The complainant, who was staying with her sister, offered the accused a room to sleep. At around midnight Bangidza allegedly forced open the complainant’s bedroom door. He went to where the complainant was sleeping and raped her once. After the act, the suspect begged the complainant not to report the matter to the police and promised to marry her in the event she fell pregnant,” said Asst Insp Kadzuraumera.
He said the complainant did not bother to report the matter to the police, but instead reported it to the church committee.
“The matter was stood down pending the fulfilment of Bangidza’s promise to marry the complainant. The complainant decided to report the matter to the police on July 27 after Bangidza had refused to marry her at Bende church gathering in Nyanyadzi. Police attended the scene and the suspect was arrested,” he said.
In an unrelated incident, a Chipinge juvenile (15) allegedly locked 11-year-old twins in his room and raped them. Asst Insp Kadzuraumera confirmed the incident, which happened in ZBS Gaza Township.
He said: “The juvenile, who is a neighbour to the twins, approached them on June 20 around 8pm while they were washing plates. He asked for fire and was given a glowing stick by one of the complainants and left. After a while, the juvenile came back asking for fire again, but the two refused to give it to him.
“The juvenile proceeded to grab the two, one on the left, the other on the right and dragged them into his room. While inside, the juvenile locked the door and raped one of the complainants twice and the other one once.
“On July 29, one of the complainants visited her mother at Watershed Farm and told her. The matter was reported to the police leading to the juvenile’s arrest,” said Asst Insp Kadzuraumera.
