A Zimbabwean man from Binga will set an example that you do not force a woman into sex, even if she is your wife after he was jailed 16 years for raping his spouse.

The man from Zewula Village under Chief Siabuwa force-marched his 23-year-old pregnant wife to his homestead after threatening to assault her with a log where he subjected her to a night-long sexual torture. The couple had a prior misunderstanding which had resulted in the woman going back to her parents’ home.

He was convicted of two counts of rape and sentenced to 16 years in prison by Hwange regional magistrate, Mr Collet Ncube following a full trial last week. However, two years of the sentence were conditionally suspended.

The rapist, who was facing three counts of rape denied the allegations arguing they were fabricated by his wife’s parents as the sex act was consensual.

“Your worship, the complainant is my wife with whom I have a child with and in all the alleged occasions the sex was consensual. The rape allegations were fabricated by the complainant after being influenced by her parents who no longer want me as their son-in-law,” he said.

However, Mr Ncube would have none of it describing his conduct as cruel and selfish, by-passing reasoning of the fact that she was pregnant.

“Your conduct is reprehensible. It does not make a difference. You repeatedly engaged in the sexual activity against her will. You were unconcerned that she was pregnant, you force-marched her to your place using threats of violence as you were armed with a switch and log. Your morale blameworthiness is high. The fact that the complainant cried was an indication that she was traumatised. Imprisonment in this case is inescapable,” said Mr Ncube.

It also emerged during the trial that this was not the first time he had raped his wife as he would sexually abuse her on different occasions whenever they met resulting in her falling pregnant. She would report the offences to her parents but no further action would be taken.

According to the State led by Ms Memory Munsaka on 26 July 2019 the victim who was in the company of her younger sister was coming from Siabuwa Clinic on her way home when she met her husband near his homestead.

He asked her to accompany him to his homestead but she refused, he then grabbed and force her to his place after threatening to beat her with a switch and log.

The court heard that when the two arrived at his place he forced her to be intimate with him without her consent.

He then repeated the act twice throughout the night. Later, the following day he left the homestead to fetch firewood giving her an opportunity to escape. She reported the matter to the police the following day leading to his arrest.

-Sunday News