Chitungwiza Man Gets 20 Years for Rape
The Chitungwiza Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a 25-year-old man to 20 years in prison after convicting him of rape in a chilling case that blended superstition, threats, and manipulation.
The court heard that in February 2025, the man contacted his 23-year-old ex-girlfriend, claiming he had used a condom from their previous relationship in a ritual that endangered her life, as well as that of her parents and new partner.
He told her the only way to reverse the ritual was to throw the condom into a dam. Out of fear, she complied.
On March 19, he took her to a dam where he threw a bottle containing a condom, a snake, a feather and their names into the water.
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Days later, he returned, claiming she had to throw the bottle herself and coerced her into choosing between having sex with him or a lizard.
Although she initially resisted, he continued threatening her, pressuring her with claims from his sangoma until she finally submitted to sexual intercourse.
The court also heard that on April 14, he lured her to a bushy area and raped her again, threatening to dump money at her family’s home when she refused his offer.
By May 31, he was still hounding her, claiming new rituals were needed to save his life. It was only after confiding in a friend and consulting a pastor that the victim reported the matter to police on June 4.
In a statement, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) welcomed the conviction, saying:
“This sentence sends a strong message that exploitation, intimidation and abuse disguised under the cover of cultural or ritual practices will not be tolerated.
“Survivors deserve protection and perpetrators must face the full wrath of the law.”
The case highlights the dangers of ritual-based coercion and the trauma faced by victims who often remain silent out of fear.
