Court Reporter
A 29-year-old man accused of sexually abusing a minor whom he claimed was his girlfriend appeared in court yesterday charged with rape. Appearing before Chitungwiza magistrate, Ms Olivia Mariga, Moven Gomba of Chitungwiza denied the charges and was remanded in custody to September 24 for

trial.
Prosecutor Mr Henry Muringani alleges that sometime in 2010, Gomba proposed to the minor who was aged 13 then and the girl turned down his request.
He continued to persuade the minor and she accepted the proposal in April this year.
Gomba started sending the girl love text messages demanding sex.
Mr Muringani said in August, Gomba invited the girl to accompany him to Vhera Village in Seke, where he wanted to show her his stand.
While at the stand, he started kissing the minor and pushed her to the ground before sexually abusing her.
On another day, Gomba took the girl to his friend’s house in the same suburb and demanded to be intimate with her, but she refused. The court heard that Gomba then planned another visit to Vhera where he forced himself on the minor. He abused her on three occasions between August and September.
The matter came to light when the minor’s sister saw them strolling together. The sister quizzed her and she revealed the alleged rape.