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Manicaland Bureau
A 31-YEAR-OLD man from Rusape was jailed for 13 years after he was found guilty of raping a Grade 6 pupil from his village when she visited his homestead to borrow a wheelbarrow.

Steven Dembaremba, of Domborembedzi Village under Chief Makoni, was jailed for 15 years when he appeared before magistrate Mr Livingstone Chipadza charged with rape.

Mr Chipadza set aside two years of the sentence on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the near future.

Prosecutor Mr Tirivanhu Mutyasira said sometime in July this year, at around 10am, the 12-year-old was sent to borrow a wheelbarrow from Dembaremba.

Upon her arrival, Dembaremba asked the girl to enter his kitchen, but she refused.

Dembaremba lured the girl into the kitchen, saying he wanted to give her snuff for her grandmother.

He then locked the door from inside and ordered the girl to lie on the floor, but she refused.

Dembaremba then tripped her before removing her panties.

The court heard that Dembaremba took a knife and threatened to stab the girl if she continued crying.

Mr Mutyasira said Dembaremba raped the girl once before threatening to kill her if she revealed the rape to anyone. The crime came to light after two villagers raised eyebrows over Dembaremba’s relationship with the girl.

Out of suspicion, the villagers visited the girl at school and quizzed her over her relationship with Dembaremba, but she refused to open up.

Her actions raised more suspicion, forcing the villagers to approach the girl’s teacher who further questioned her over her relationship with Dembaremba.

She then opened up and revealed that she was raped by Dembaremba on the day she was sent to borrow a wheelbarrow from his homestead.