Zimpapers Logo

George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
A brazen 32 year-old Chivi man has been caged for an effective 24 years by a magistrates court here after he waylaid a Form 4 girl on her way to writing her final examinations before raping and trying to kill her by stabbing her with a knife.

Francis Mureza of Macheka village under Chief Madyangove stabbed the 17-year-old complainant several times on the head and neck with a knife before pounding her head with stones, leaving her unconscious after first raping her.

Regional magistrate Mrs Judith Zuyu jailed Mureza after convicting him guilty of rape and attempted murder.

Agreed facts are that on 1 December this year, Mureza met the complainant on a footpath in Madyangove while she was on her way to sit for her ‘O’ level exams.

He grabbed the complainant from the back and carried her to a bush thicket where he raped her once.

After raping the girl, Mureza allegedly ordered her to remove her school uniform blouse and cover her face.

After removing her blouse, the complainant stood up and fled, but Mureza gave chase and caught up with her before tripping her to the ground.

He stabbed her with a knife several times before hitting her with stones, leaving her unconscious.

Mureza then took away the complainant’s cellphone, her black school shoes, a pen and a pencil and left.

The girl finally regained consciousness and alerted villagers and a report was made to the police.

The knife used to stab the complainant, her cellphone, shoes and pens were recovered from Mureza, leading to his arrest.

A medical examination also corroborated that the complainant had been raped.

Mr Liberty Hove appeared for the State.