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Abel Zhakata Mutare Bureau
A BUHERA-BASED ‘prophet’ who threatened to unleash supernatural powers on a rape victim in a bid to stop her from reporting the case will languish in prison for 12 years after he was found guilty of the offence.

Layson Mhike (43) of Muzimbe Village under Chief Makumbe raped the 18-year-old complainant and threatened to cast demons on her if she divulged the matter to anyone.

Although he pleaded not guilty to rape, telling the court that he was in love with the complainant, Rusape regional magistrate, Mr Livingstone Chipadza, convicted him after a full trial.

Mhike denied the charges saying the complainant was cooking up allegations against him because he had ended their love affair after he caught her pants down with another man.

The rape charge, he told the court, was meant to fix him for dumping the complainant.

District public prosecutor, Mr Tirivanhu Mutyasira, told the court that the crime was committed on February 2 this year.

“On the day in question at around 2pm, Mhike met the complainant on her way home from her aunt’s homestead. Mhike told the complainant that she had a curse which needed cleansing. He told her that the cleansing process required her to be intimate with him, but the complainant refused.

“At that point he grabbed her, knocked her to the ground and raped her. After committing the crime he threatened to unleash demons on the complainant if she revealed the incident to anyone,” said Mr Mutyasira.

The complainant went home and since her mother was away she reported the case to her aunt two days later.

Mhike was subsequently arrested.

The complainant was taken to Murambinda Mission Hospital for medical examination where it was confirmed that she had been sexually abused.

Of the 15 years, Mr Chapadza set aside three years on condition of good behaviour.