AN HIV positive Bulawayo man has been sentenced to 30 years in jail for raping his tenant’s 16-year-old sister and infecting her with the virus which causes Aids.
Target Mhene, 38, admitted he was HIV positive when he appeared before Western Division regional magistrate, Owen Tagu, early this week.
He however, pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape but was convicted by Tagu who dismissed his pleas for lenience telling him he had effectively “condemned his victim to death”.
Prosecutor Mazhar Petkar said the first attack occurred at around 4PM on January 4 this year when Mhene beckoned the girl who was cleaning the living room to come over to him.
The teenager said she was busy, but Mhene burst into the room and told her she was beautiful and that he loved her. He then pushed her to the floor, raped her once and warned her not to tell anyone.
Three days later, after realising the girl had not reported the attack, Mhene went into the bedroom where she was spreading her sister’s bed and raped her again.
He threatened to kill her if she reported the attack.
Relatives questioned he girl when they noticed that she had changed her behaviour and would not stop crying. She revealed what had happened leading to Mhene’s arrest.