A 17-year-old teenager in Gweru gave birth to a multiracial child, sparking outrage after it was revealed that a 51-year-old Chinese man raped her.
The incident occurred on November 15, 2022, allegedly in the man’s office at a local mine where the victim worked.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced on Monday that the accused, whose name has not been disclosed, had been charged with rape.
According to a statement issued by the NPA, the man allegedly raped the victim on the floor of his office.
Shockingly, immediately after the offence, he terminated the victim’s employment.
The prosecution revealed that the victim confided in her mother about the alleged rape after discovering she was pregnant.
However, she did not report the incident to the police immediately.
It was only after the victim gave birth to a daughter in 2023 that a police report was filed on June 13, 2024, leading to the arrest of the accused.
Following a brief appearance before a Gweru court on Monday, the accused rapist was placed under arrest and will remain in custody until June 28.
The revelation of this heinous crime has sparked strong reactions from Zimbabweans, who are demanding justice for the victim.
Unathi Africa, a resident, expressed her outrage, saying, “Not only must he be jailed for some 40 years, but he must be compelled to sell all that he has, and all proceeds handed over to the girl’s family for the baby’s upkeep.”
Noel Dawu, another concerned citizen, criticized the actions of the accused, stating, “These Chinese are enjoying their freedom which they didn’t pay for here in Zimbabwe.”
Go_getter voiced concerns about Chinese nationals in Zimbabwe, saying, “China does not bring their best to Zimbabwe; they bring their rejects, they bring rapists, they bring criminals, and probably many of them are convicted felons in their country.”
The incident has also reignited discussions on vigilantism, with Walker Taxes Ranger expressing frustration:
“Twune ngozi here twuvanhu utwu, haa because ndakufunga kutora the law into my own hands” (Do we have to take the law into our own hands?).
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