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Lawrence Chitumba Mashonaland Correspondent
A MARRIED Mazowe High School teacher has been sentenced to an effective 12 years in prison for raping a mentally-challenged woman.

Terance Makombe (36) of Mazowe High School Cottages had denied the rape charges, but Bindura regional magistrate, Mrs Sandra Mupindu found him guilty of two counts of rape and slapped him with a 15-year jail term before she suspended three years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in five years.

In sentencing him, Mrs Mupindu noted that Makombe was the complainant’s neighbour and as a teacher, he knew that girls had to be protected and as such his behaviour warranted a custodial sentence.

Prosecutor Mrs Gossy Mudimbu told the court that sometime in December 2018 at Mazowe High School Cottages, Makombe took advantage that the complainant was alone at her parents’ home and invited her to his office

She said Makombe proposed love to the complainant when she entered his office, but she turned him down.

The court heard that Makombe went on to play pornographic videos on his computer to seduce her.

“Makombe demanded to be intimate with her, but she refused,” said Mrs Mudimbu.

“He locked the door before raping her once. He threatened to assault her with a belt if she divulged the matter to anyone.

“During the same month of December 2018 in the morning, Makombe approached the complainant who was at her parents’ home after noticing that she was alone.

“He knocked on the bathroom door while she was bathing and told her to report to his office after, but she refused.

‘‘He later entered her bedroom while she was naked and pushed her on the bed before raping her.”

Mrs Mudimbu said Makombe raped the complainant on three other different occasions between December 2018 and January 8 2019.

She said the matter came to light when the complainant went to Marondera and told her house parent, Ms Chido Makoni at Kukura Neshungu Institute, that she had been sexually abused by Makombe.

A report was made to the police, leading to Makombe’s arrest.