Bikita Rural District Council ward 23 councillor, Mark Mutengani is technically a free man despite allegedly raping a 17 year old form 4 girl as he committed the ‘crime’ before the new law was proclaimed.
Mutengani allegedly raped the Chirumba High School learner several times until they were caught on June 2 this year by the father and a report was made at the police under CR 103/06/24 before the proclamation of the new age of consent.
The girl stays with her parents in Mandivengerei Village under Chief Mukangamwi in ward 10.
The Midweek Watch was told by the father that a police officer who was handling the matter phoned him and told him that the prosecutors declined to prosecute because the girl said she slept with the councillor before the proclamation by the President.
President Mnangagwa, through a Statutory Instrument in March this year raised the age of consent to sexual relations to 18 years.
The girl in her statement to the police claimed that she slept with the councillor before the law was promulgated despite being found in his car on June 1, this year and having not slept at home the previous day.
Police sources told this publication that the girl said that she slept at a friend’s house and not at a lodge with the councillor as was suspected.
The father told The Midweek Watch that when he was told that prosecutors denied to prosecute the case he decided to stop pursuing the matter after having spent lots of money on bus fare to hospital and Musasa Project at Nyika Growth Point.
He also said on Thursday (25/7/24) two police officers visited him at his homestead and recorded another statement which he was made to sign despite having done so on the day he reported the matter.
The matter came to light when the victim’s father found his daughter in Mutengani’s car at Dhibhi Bust Stop at around 1pm as he was going to Bikita Business Centre.
“She did not sleep at home the previous night after she left home for school sports and I was worried but on my way to the shops I saw the councillor’s car parked by the bus stop and the windows were open and I saw my daughter seated in the front seat with the councillor.
“I ordered the councillor to drive to the police station to make a report after my daughter confessed that they were lovers and used to sleep at lodges at Nyika Growth Point on several occasions with the councillor,” said the soft spoken father.
A lawyer who spoke to The Midweek Watch on condition of anonymity said it is possible that the girl was coached on what to say to the police as the coincidence is suspicious that the two were seen together the day she did not sleep at home while at the same they last had sex before the March proclamation of age of consent.
P.S The father of the 17 year old girl phoned The Midweek Watch and said she confessed to him that they last slept together in May this year.
