$1 bribe for rape earns Mazowe man 20-year sentence

BlNDURA – A 33-year-old man from Mazowe has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars for sexually abusing a young girl, aged 6, and offering her a dollar to keep quiet about the traumatic experience.

The accused, whose identity remains undisclosed to safeguard the minor’s privacy, appeared before Bindura Magistrate Court on rape charges.

The State alleges that on October 4, 2024, the accused approached a 6-year-old playing with friends and asked her to follow him. After she refused, he forcibly took her to a secluded spot where he assaulted and raped her.

The court heard that after committing the offence, the accused gave the 6-year-old complainant $1 in an attempt to buy her silence before fleeing the scene.

The court heard that a passerby discovered the incident upon hearing the complainant’s cries in the bush. The complainant shared her ordeal with the passerby who promptly escorted her to her mother.

The mother promptly filed a police report, leading to the accused’s arrest.