Abiah Madzudzo
A 25-year-old man from Chief Nemangwe area in Gokwe South has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Gokwe Magistrates’ Court for the rape of his 10-year-old niece, as confirmed by the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ).
The court heard that on August 21, 2025, at around 1:00 PM, the minor returned home from a nearby business center and encountered the offender tending to a fire.
According to the summary of evidence presented by the State, the offender indecently assaulted the victim by fondling her breasts. When the child attempted to flee, the offender pursued her, caught her, and tied her limbs with rope and wire before removing her skirt and raping her.
The victim later reported her ordeal to her aunt, leading to a police report and the subsequent arrest of the offender.
In a statement following the sentencing, the NPAZ emphasized its commitment to prosecuting sexual offenses and urged the public to report incidents of sexual violence promptly.
“Rape is a serious crime with lifelong consequences,” the prosecuting authority stated.
“The NPAZ is committed to prosecuting all sexual offenders.”
The offender will serve his sentence in a Zimbabwean prison.
The identities of both the victim and the convicted man have been withheld to protect the minor.
This case is part of a broader pattern of judicial crackdowns on child sexual abuse across the country.
Similar convictions, such as a 45-year sentence for a serial offender in the same Chief Nemangwe area, underscore the judiciary’s firm stance against perpetrators of such crimes.
