Pupils gang rape seven-year-old girl

IN a spine-chilling incident, a seven-year-old girl from Old Lobengula suburb in Bulawayo was gang raped by three schoolboys on her way from school before the trio threatened to harm her if she divulged the matter to anyone.

The ECD learner was grabbed by the youngest of the alleged rapists (13) who took her to a hedge where the three took turns to sexually assault her.

The ages of the other two schoolboys are yet to be verified.

The three boys also tried to confuse the girl by calling each other with fake names.

Fortunately, the three did not succeed in concealing their identity as the girl managed to identify the house, about 400m from her home, where she was raped.

The boys took advantage of the fact that people who live at that house would be at work during the day.

The following day after the incident, the girl was able to spot two of them in the same neighbourhood after narrating her ordeal to her mother.

Police are investigating the incident.

The girl was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital where a medical report was obtained which proves that she was raped.

The girl’s mother said she was failing to come to terms with the tragedy that befell her daughter who has not behaved normally ever since the incident which occurred last Tuesday.

In an interview, she said the girl was still struggling to walk properly after the incident and often complains of back pains.

“I am still in shock, I do not understand how on earth three boys could take turns to rape my daughter, and the thought of it leaves me shivering. My daughter initially said she was beaten by some boys from the neighborhood and I took it lightly, promising that we would go and confront them the following day as she opened up at night,” she said.

“The following day she whispered to her brother that she was in pain and could not walk as some boys had touched her privates. I then became suspicious when I noticed that she was struggling to walk properly and I sat her down, only to discover that indeed she had been raped.”

Her mother also said the girl was on medication to prevent her from contracting diseases but the family does not know if ever they will get closure from what befell their daughter.

“On that same night she led us to the house where the incident happened and we discovered that there were no boys who lived there. The following day however she spotted two of the boys who upon seeing us with her ran away leaving us suspicious,” said the woman holding back tears.

“I do not know how I will help her understand what has really befallen her and we just hope justice will be served.

Those boys could be minors as well but they cannot get away with this, it’s too much. The pain is unbearable and affecting my studies as well as I am failing to cope.”

The woman is studying at a local institution of higher learning.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.

He urged members of the public to avoid exposing their children to sexual scenes at home and on television which could be fueling these crimes.

“On November 2, 2021 at around 3PM, the complainant was coming from school going home when she was intercepted by three accused persons who instructed her to stop but she refused. The accused persons then dragged her to the corner of a yard where they forcibly removed her school uniform and pants,” he said.

“They then took turns to have sexual intercourse with the complainant without her consent and without protection.

After the act, one of the accused persons slapped the complainant in the face and they fled from the scene.”

Insp Ncube said the complainant’s mother noticed that her daughter was having difficulties in walking the following day and that prompted her to question the complainant who then came out and narrated the ordeal.

“A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of one accused person who was then released to the custody of his parents and is helping police with investigations. We would like to appeal to members of the public to be careful in terms of how they relate to their children, especially girls,” he said.

“They must teach their children to also walk in groups so that they do not fall prey to cunning gangsters who are all over our communities. We also plead with them to stop having intercourse in the presence of their children especially where families live in one room as this fuels curiosity which may lead these children to experiment,” added Insp Ncube. — Chronicle

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