Zimbabwe serial rapist behind bars

Zimbabwe serial rapist behind bars

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By Staff Reporter

A SUSPECTED serial rapist has appeared in court in the small Zimbabwean town of Marondera on charges of raping and abusing 34 schoolgirls at a boarding school.

"Five of the 34 Macheke Primary School girls who were allegedly sexually abused by 38-year-old James Sangarwe, a general hand at the school, testified before Marondera magistrate Rodgers Manyangadze," the state-run Sunday Mail said.

"Area prosecutor Clemency Chimbari said Sangarwe was charged with eight counts of rape, 25 counts of indecent assault and one of exposing his manhood to a minor."

The newspaper said Sangarwe was suspected of having committed the offences between January 11 and March 17. He had been working in the school for 11 years.

The prosecution said the girls opened up about the abuse after their headmistress delivered a lecture on child sexual abuse.

A doctor at a local provincial hospital examined the victims and confirmed they had been raped, the newspaper said.

Sangarwe and the victims were tested for HIV and the results will be presented in court as evidence.

Zimbabwe has one of the highest rates of HIV infection and Aids in the world with at least 3 000 people dying every week from Aids-related illnesses.

Rapists often target young girls on recommendations of traditional healers who claim having sex with a minor can cure one of AIDS - Sapa
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