Prosper Dembedza — The 68-year-old rapist who lured an eight-year-old girl into his Dzivarasekwa house and abused her, Moses Jimu, has been jailed for 15 years. The judgment was handed down by Harare regional magistrate Ms Loice Mukunyadze, following a trial that found Jimu guilty.

Throughout the trial, Jimu denied the charges, but the evidence, including the medical report, against him proved insurmountable.

After considering State prosecutor Mrs Shambadzeni Fungura's submissions, the court found that there was reasonable doubt Jimu had committed the offence against a young girl from his community who was known to him.

And the regional magistrate reasoned that a stern and unequivocal sentence was needed reflecting the gravity of the crime.

The court heard that on October 7 last year, the little girl accompanied by her relative was making her way to a community borehole when Jimu, preying on the innocence of the child, lured her away, calling her over before forcibly dragging her into his house.

Jimu then indecently assaulted her before raping her.

The girl told her relative and a friend whereupon a report was made to the police, leading to Jimu's arrest.