A 33-year-old Chiredzi police officer who failed to contain his s#xual appetite and allegedly r#ped a 21-year-old pregnant Mozambican woman who was arrested for theft is in trouble with the law.
The police officer, Alec Mhlanga who was doing charge office duties, allegedly r#ped the woman without protection.
The victim, a pregnant woman from Bwabwatse area in Mozambique but presently staying in Chiredzi was in police custody after she was arrested for theft.
The policeman allegedly promised to facilitate her release after the s#x session but later knocked off duty in the morning without doing anything prompting the complainant to report to a female police officer who had assumed duty.
Mhlanga on Friday appeared before Chiredzi magistrate Mt Tafadzwa Mhlanga facing two charges, one of r#pe as defined in section 65 (1) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 09:23 and another of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer as defined in section 174 (1)(a) of the same Act.
He was remanded in custody to 24 October for trial. The State case as presented by the prosecutor, Mr Liberty Hove was that on 11 October at about 2am the complainant was arrested and taken to Chiredzi Police Station facing charges of theft.
At the police station she was handed over to Mhlanga and one Constable Masango who were doing charge office duties.
The court heard that the complainant could not be detained in the police cells because she was pregnant and therefore she was to spend the few hours of the night in the charge office being guarded by two police officers who were manning the charge office.
The State told the court that during the night, the complainant requested to visit the toilet to relieve herself and she was escorted by Mhlanga while Constable Masango remained in the charge office.
It was further the State case that after relieving herself Mhlanga took her to the investigations room where he told her that she was facing serious charges but he could release her from police custody on condition she had se-xual intercourse with him.
Mr Hove told the court heard that Mhlanga then ordered the complainant to hold the bench and he r#ped her once without protection and told her not to tell anyone.
He took her back to the charge office where she slept till morning. When she woke up, Mhlanga had knocked off without doing anything to facilitate her release. S
he then revealed the abuse to a female police officer – a Constable Usai who had taken over duty from Mhlanga and investigations were carried out leading to the arrest of Mhlanga.
The complainant was taken to hospital for medical examinations and the report may be produced in court.
Mhlanga was represented by Mr Charles Ndlovu.