A man from Hippo Valley in Chiredzi promised to build a house for his neighbor’s wife whom he had infected with HIV as a way of appeasing her.
The story came as a shock to the husband, Before Takaingofa who went to the Chiredzi Regional Court believing that his wife Experience Vuragu was raped by the neighbour.
Takaingofa was further shocked to hear that his neighbor and workmate at Triangle, Toperesu Munaki slept with Vuragu in the matrimonial bed every time he was away on night duty at the workplace.
The Court also heard that instead of building the house, Munaki only bought two door frames and gave them to Vuragu. The relationship between the two turned for the worst when Munaki also failed to give Vuragu US$50 that he had promised her.
Magistrate Zuyu had no option but to dismiss the rape charge against Munaki. Zuyu established that there was bad blood between the complainant and Munaki particularly after the accused failed to deliver the $50 he had promised.
She said the rape charges could have emanated from the bad blood between the two. Zuyu also concluded that the complainant was more concerned about the money that she failed to get than the HIV and Aids which she was infected with.
She however, said there was also 50 percent chance that the complainant was raped on the particular incident reported to the Police.
It is the State Case that on October 5, 2016 at around 8.30pm Toperesu went to Vuragu`s house looking for his son who was playing with other kids at the house. He knocked on the door and Vuragu refused to open the door. She then let Toperesu`s son move out of the house using the other door and the two went together to their house.
The State further said that at around 10pm Toperesu came to the house again and knocked on the door but Vuragu refused to open. He broke the padlock and gained entry. He went to the bed where Vuragu was sleeping with her two grandchildren aged 13 and 3. He removed his clothes and went on top of Vuragu but she pushed her down to the floor and that is where he took out a knife and threatened to kill her if she refused to have sex.
The state further alleges that Vuragu agreed to have sex after seeing the knife and at 1030pm she advised the accused to leave since her husband was about to return from work. She then told her husband what had happened and they made a Police report.
During cross examination Vuragu agreed that she was once in love with Toperesu and the two used to have sex at her matrimonial home. She said things went sour in 2015 when Toperesu infected her with HIV and promised to build her a house as compensation, a promise he never honoured but only gave her 2 door frames. She said she was not worried about being infected with HIV and was not the reason behind reporting the rape case. She insisted that on the day in question she refused to have sex but only agreed after seeing a knife.
Moreblessing Rusere prosecuted.