The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
VILLAGERS in Ndapfunya Village under Chief Makoni’s have come out guns blazing as they demand justice for a physically challenged teenager who was allegedly raped and impregnated by a 51-year-old villager last year in September.
The police have said the net is closing on the culprit, Shingirai Rundoro.
A neighbour, Tiriwashe Ndapfunya, said Rundoro needs to be convicted.
“My heart is bleeding because I am a parent who also have children to care for. The teenager who was raped is being looked after by her visually impaired father and poor mother. She is only 18-years-old.
“Rundoro took advantage of her disability and raped her. If he loved her like he wants people to believe, why did he disappear after committing the offence?” said Ndapfunya.
Another villager, Chido Bverekwa, called on organisations that advocates for the rights of the girl child and people living with disabilities to intervene and assist the teen and her family.
“This girl’s family is in dire need of assistance,” she said.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luxson Chananda, confirmed the incident, saying Rundoro vanished soon after committing the crime last year.
“We have heard of the case and investigations are in progress. Sometime in September last year, the accused lifted the teenager from her wheelchair and raped her twice on different occasions during the same month, taking advantage of her vulnerability. Her mother had left her unattended when she was abused. It seems the accused knew that the teenager was alone and pounced on her,” he said.
“We are investigating the matter and the accused is still on the run. We are appealing to members of the public with information leading to the arrest of the accused to contact their nearest police station,” said Inspector Chananda.
