A 25-year-old Harare gardener was sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison by the Harare Magistrates’ Court after he was convicted of raping a 17-year-old female co-worker.
The accused, employed as a gardener, appeared before the court on a charge of rape.
The complainant, 17, was employed as a housemaid at the same residence.
The court heard that on June 11, 2026, both the accused and the complainant were on duty at the house where they worked.
Prosecutors said that earlier in the day, the complainant was outside hanging laundry as instructed by her employer when the accused was seen watching her from a distance.
Later, while the complainant was cooking in the kitchen, the accused allegedly entered, grabbed her mobile phone, and went into a spare bedroom.
The court heard that the complainant followed him to get the phone back.
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Once inside the room, the accused told her she could only have the phone if she submitted to his sexual demands.
The State further alleged that he then assaulted the complainant and raped her.
After the incident, prosecutors said the accused offered the complainant US$5 in what the State described as an attempt to induce her to remain silent.
The complainant instead reported the matter to her employer, who assisted her to make a police report.
This led to the accused’s arrest.
In sentencing, the magistrate considered the age of the complainant and the fact that the offence was committed in a workplace where both parties were employed.
The court imposed 15 years imprisonment with no portion suspended.
The identity of the complainant has been withheld in line with standard reporting practice for cases of this nature.
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