A Zimbabwean man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after a court found him guilty of r@ping his 56-year-old mother-in-law in her bedroom while her 94-year-old mother watched helplessly. Walter Maponga, 37, from Mandaza Village, Zimbabwe, was convicted of r@pe and assault by Harare regional magistrate Jessie Kufa. The State, led by prosecutor Blessed Songozo, presented evidence that the magistrate described as a clearly established prima facie case. The attack occurred on September 17, 2025, in Makoni Village, Mhondoro. According to the prosecution, the complainant was in her bedroom with her elderly mother when Maponga broke into the room and launched the assault. The State told the court that Maponga began beating the woman and demanding s3x while blaming her for problems in his marriage. Upon entering the room, Maponga started assaulting the complainant, demanding to have s3x with her while accusing her of taking away his wife from him, the prosecution proved. He then forced the woman to the ground, continuing the attack until neighbours intervened. The court heard that the assault only stopped when neighbors, Godfrey Makoni and Cleopas Nziramasanga rushed in and rescued the victim, managing to apprehend Maponga at the scene. In delivering the verdict, magistrate Kufa said, The State had managed to prove a prima facie case against Maponga, clearing the way for his conviction. The brutal nature of the crime has shocked residents of the rural Mhondoro community. Local concerns have centred on the violation of family trust and the trauma caused by committing the attack in front of the victims elderly mother. The swift response from neighbours was credited with preventing further harm and ensuring the suspect was handed over to authorities.
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