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Sharon Chiware Midlands Reporter
A 21-YEAR-OLD man from Shurugwi has been sentenced to 17 years for raping a teenage mother. Makiwa Chivika of Gombingo Village in Shurugwi had pleaded guilty to rape when he appeared before Regional Magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire. Mr Nemadire said Chivika exhibited an unthinkable act of cruelty by raping the complainant as the baby clung precariously on the back of the mother.

“You took advantage of this defenceless mother after she asked for directions to the clinic where she wanted to take her baby for routine check-ups. You failed to just give directions to a desperate mother who could not recognise the way to the clinic and chose to rape her in the presence of her baby. For this offence you are sentenced to 17 years in prison,” he said.

The agreed facts are that on December 14, the complainant left home on her way to Gundura Clinic for a routine baby check-up. While on the way, she saw Chivika who was herding cattle and asked him for directions.

The court heard that suddenly Chivika started fondling her before he attempted to trip her. The court heard that Chivika then threatened to kill the complainant’s child if she continued to wrestle him. He later raped her once before she fled from the scene. Mr Kelvin Guveya appeared for the State.