MARTIN MAWAYA
SHURUGWI-Jackson Mashindi (39) of Chief Banga, Shurugwi has been sentenced to serve effective 30 years in prison for raping two minors doing grade 5 and form two respectively.
Mashindi was convicted on two counts of rape and sentenced at the close of the State case presided over by Gweru Regional Magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa yesterday.
Prosecutor Sibangani Thando Dube told the court that on the 5th of September this year around 3pm, Mashindi took turns to rape the two minors in a secluded bush.
The court heard that the complainants (name withheld) were on their way to Mkandapi grinding mill when Mashindi intercepted them holding a knife.
While pretending to ask for directions to Matsika Business Centre, the accused acted weirdly and started to threaten the complainants stating that he would kill them if they refused to obey his instructions.
He then instructed the two to return where they were coming from.
“Due to fear, the complainants took their way back,” narrated prosecutor Dube.
The prosecutor told the court that Mashindi followed them and diverted them from the road into a bush.
“They reached into a secluded place where he told the complainants to undress their clothes of which the two complied due to fear,” added Dube.
The court heard that the accused told the first complainant aged 16 years to lie on the ground facing upwards and then he lowered his pair of trousers to kneel level.
He then mounted on top of the 16 year old girl and inserted his erected pennis into her vagina thereby having sexual intercourse without her consent while the second complainant was watching.
After done with the first complainant, Mashindi proceeded to rape the 11 year minor using the same modus operandi.
After finishing the heinous crime, the accused ordered the complainants to disappear from the scene.
He however lost his luck after the complainants reported the matter to their aunt on the same day, who later reported to the police and led to his arrest.
