Vic Falls man acquitted of rape

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A 30-year-old Victoria Falls man asked villagers to squeeze his manhood to prove that he had not raped his neighbour’s teenage wife.

A 30-year-old Victoria Falls man asked villagers to squeeze his manhood to prove that he had not raped his neighbour’s teenage wife.

Nokuthaba Dlamini

Melusi Vundla of BH34 Chidobe under chief Mvuthu, who was being represented by Thulani Nkala of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, appeared before Hwange regional magistrate Collet Ncube on Friday, where he was acquitted of rape and kidnapping charges.

Prosecutor Tinomupei Mbiza had said on August 15 last year, Vundla went to the complainant’s homestead armed with a knife.

Vundla allegedly told the complainant that he wanted to have sexual intercourse with her and she refused. He allegedly got angry and threatened to kill her before grabbing her by the collar and dragging her to his homestead where he allegedly raped her once.

The complainant requested to go outside the house to relieve herself, but ran towards her nephew and husband who were searching for her.

The magistrate said independent witnesses and the accused’s stories added up. He pointed out that the couple’s delay to report to the police and their intimacy the following day before a medical check-up was questionable.