Two brothers from Dotito in Mount Darwin have been sentenced to 12 and 18 years in prison respectively for raping a mentally challenged 17 year old girl.
Tonderai Muoni (22) and Elvis Muoni (19) appeared before the Bindura Magistrates Court separately facing rape charges.
It is the State’s case that sometime in June 2022 the two brothers took turns to rape the complainant on separate occasions.
It is alleged that Elvis met the complainant at Ruya River in Dotito where they had sexual intercourse on two separate occasions at a nearby bush. In the same month, on a certain day in the afternoon at Chiromo Village, Dotito, Tonderai followed the complainant to the village grazing lands where she had gone to herd cattle.
The accused person then coerced the complainant into having sexual intercourse with him whilst they were there. The matter came to light when Tonderai Muoni went to the complainant’s home to see her and the complainant’s aunt saw him.
When quizzed on why the accused person had come to see her by the aunt, the complainant divulged the incidents in which she had sexual intercourse with both accused persons. Tonderai Muoni was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment with 4 years suspended and will serve 8 years effective.
Elvis was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment with 4 years suspended and will serve 14 years effective.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) warned members of the public that Section 64 (3) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act CAP 9:23 provides that any person who engages in sexual intercourse or other sexual conduct with a mentally disabled person shall be charged with rape or any other sexual offence as the case may be.
