Two former pupils at Masasi High School in Mutare, Manicaland, have been convicted of raping a schoolmate last year and filming the attack. The case sparked national outrage.
The incident drew widespread public attention after it emerged that the offenders had recorded the assault.
The pair, who were 17 and 16 at the time of the offence, appeared before Mutare regional magistrate Sekai Chiwundura. They faced charges of rape and aggravated indecent assault involving a 17-year-old schoolmate.
During the trial, the two teenagers were represented by lawyers from the Justice for Children Trust. They pleaded not guilty.
They claimed the sexual encounter was consensual and denied exploiting the complainant’s cognitive difficulties.
The case went to a full trial, where the State presented evidence that led to their conviction.
Magistrate Chiwundura found both accused guilty of rape and sentenced each of them to 10 years in prison. They were also given five years each for aggravated indecent assault.
Chiwundura suspended the 10-year jail term for each offender because they are juveniles.
The two have since filed an appeal at the Mutare High Court, challenging both the conviction and the sentence. They argue that the lower court erred in convicting them and imposed an excessive sentence.
Prosecutor Tom Nyatsuro told the court that on 8 February 2025, at around 4 pm, the accused were walking home from school with the complainant.
They dragged her to a secluded spot in the forest where they had sex with her without her consent. They also carried out other sexual acts on her without her consent.
During the attack, the 16-year-old filmed videos that later went viral on social media.
More: The Manica Post
Leave a Reply Cancel reply