A 26-year-old cattle herder, Carlington Horai who was head-over-heels in love with an under-age girl, will forever rue the day he offered her a smartphone as token to silence her from exposing rape.
The gadget which the 11-year-old kept as a secret was later discovered by her mother, prompting the minor to spill the beans.
Horai is being charged with rape.
He appeared before Chinhoyi provincial magistrate, Langton Ndokera, who sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment, before conditionally suspending five years.
Complainant is an 11-year-old school drop out.
The court heard Horai was employed as a cattle herder at Maredza Farm, Plot 01, Raffingora.
On a date unknown to the prosecutor, but in June 2022, convict proposed love to the juvenile and she agreed.
On July 7, 2022, around 1pm, the girl was sent to Maredza Farm by her mother.
At around 3pm, and as she returned home alone she met Horai at the grazing area.
She was lured into the bush where he raped her once.
Horai then asked the girl not to reveal the issue to anyone and gave her a smartphone as a token which she accepted.
The girl went home and never told anyone of the incident as well as the phone.
The matter came to light when girl’s mom discovered the smartphone and asked her who the owner of the gadget was.
The minor lied to her mother who then tasked a relative to interrogate her.
After some grilling, she narrated her ordeal that she was raped by Horai, who silenced her with the gift.
The matter was reported to police, leading to Horai’s arrest.
Mollen Chitsiga prosecuted the matter.