“I have no time to rape anyone,” Masvingo villager tells court

A 32-year-old man from Chief Charumbira’s area in Masvingo has been acquitted of rape after telling the court that he spends most of his time hunting mice and fishing for food and had no opportunity to commit the offence.

The case was heard at the Masvingo Regional Magistrates’ Court on 13 October 2026 before Regional Magistrate Christopher Maturure, with Innocent Mudzingwa appearing for the State.

The court heard that the complainant was a 25-year-old woman from the same village, described as mentally unwell, who was said to have been at the accused’s home playing with his child when the alleged incident occurred.

The State alleged that on an unknown date between March and July 2025, the accused called the woman into his bedroom and raped her. The matter came to light after her brother discovered she was pregnant. On 10 July 2025, he escorted her to Masvingo Rural Police Station to make a report and then took her to Masvingo Provincial Hospital.

In his defence, the accused denied the charge. He said the allegations stemmed from a long-running land dispute with fellow villagers who had tried to take his piece of land. He said the matter was heard by Chief Charumbira, who ruled in his favour, and the villagers had since become hostile towards him.

“These allegations came after we had a land dispute with other villagers who wanted to take my piece of land. The matter was heard by Chief Charumbira, who ruled in my favour. I didn’t commit that offence,” he told the court.

He also questioned why he would commit such an offence while married and said his daily routine was taken up with fishing and catching mice for food. He asked the court not to allow people to take advantage of his poor financial circumstances.

In a dramatic turn, the complainant told the court that she was not raped by the accused.

Magistrate Maturure acquitted the man, ruling that the State had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and that the complainant’s own testimony had exonerated him. *_-TellZim_*