Gutu man jailed 20 years for rape of minor

Zim Now Writer

A Gutu man who was convicted of raping a seven-year-old girl has been sentenced to 20 years in jail by regional magistrate Bishard Chineka.

Gilbert Shonhayi, 41, of Mukwasi Village, Chief Serima in Gutu was jailed on Wednesday and he will effectively serve 16 years.

Prosecutor, Innocent Mudzingwa told the court that the grandfather caught Shonhayi raping the minor (name withheld) on December 27, 2022, around 2:30pm.

He found a used condom from the back of the house where Shonhayi was raping the minor.

Circumstances are that the girl was playing in her grandparents’ backyard when Shonhayi approached and grabbed her by the hand before threatening to kill her if she made noise.

He dragged her to a sink where he took off her clothes and raped her while wearing a condom.

Shonhayi reportedly ejaculated and threw the condom on a heap of tyres, wore another one and continued raping the minor.

The minor’s grandfather found Shonhayi raping her when he came to the backyard looking for her.

The grandparents alerted police officers manning the Serima Police Base, who attended the scene and arrested Shonhayi.