BULAWAYO – A 35-year-old school teacher from Bulawayo’s Sobukazi High School has been arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old student on four different occasions last month.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed Jefter Chenjerai’s arrest.
The A’ Level teacher, a resident of Nguboyenja suburb, was still to appear in court for the offences.
According to police, on the first encounter, sometime in February at around 10am, Chenjerai met the minor who was in the company of her classmate in the school yard and instructed her to carry some exercise books to his office.
When they got to the office, in an apparent bid to keep the victim longer, Chenjerai allegedly sent the girl’s classmate to go and fetch some water for him.
“The accused then locked the door and asked the complainant to have sexual intercourse with him but she refused before he forced himself on the complainant,” police said in a statement.
Police said when the girl’s classmate returned, she found the door locked from the inside and heard the victim crying.
When Chenjerai later unlocked the door, the girl revealed her experience to her friend.
There were also some blood stains on the table.
Chenjerai allegedly threatened the victim and her classmate with unspecified action if they revealed the incident to anyone.
“The rape ordeal happened on different occasions up to four times,” said Inspector Ncube.
The matter came to light when the complainant’s mother noticed some behavioral changes in the complainant and she interviewed the complainant who narrated her ordeal.
The matter was reported to the police leading to Chenjerai’s arrest.
The incident follows government reports that 58 percent of all rape offences reported in the country between January and September 2022, targeted children.
The perpetrators were noted to have been family members, respected community members, religious leaders, teachers and trusted friends.
