A Zimbabwean businessman  (42) was arrested after he allegedly raped his teenage shopkeeper (18) twice as a form of punishment  for having shortfalls from her daily banking from his shop.

Fradeck Nhubu of pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape before the court.

He was remanded out of custody on his own cognisance to March 1 for continuation of trial.

Nhubu, who is also a soldier claimed that he didn’t rape the teenager, (name withheld for ethical reasons) but the sex was consensual.

He claimed that she was his lover who doubled as a part time employee and resided at his shop.

The teenager called Nhubu a liar as she had been under his employ for only two days and was not in a relationship with him.

“He said I had a shortfall of $150 the first day before raping me the first night and the following night while my daughter slept by my side. I wasn’t in love with him. I have a boyfriend,” she said.

According to evidence by the state prosecutor Mr Guvheya, shortly after midnight Nhubu entered the shop where the shopkeeper was sleeping with her 11-month-old daughter and slipped into her blankets.

The two wrestled for a while until Nhubu overpowered the complainant, tore her under-garments and raped her once.

“The following night at around 10PM, again Nhubu came into the shop where the complainant was fast asleep with her daughter.

“He ordered the complainant to keep quiet and not to report the matter to anyone since he is a member of the Zimbabwe National Army and again raped her,” said Mr Guvheya.

He threatened her not to tell anyone or he would get her arrested for stealing his money in the shop.

Some time later, Nhubu then called the complainant at around 9pm in the night to come to his room but she refused.

She later packed her belongings and fled to the Ward councillor’s house where she narrated her ordeal leading to the arrest of Nhubu.