Man kidnaps minor for ritual purposes
A Bulawayo man kidnapped a three-year-old girl and confessed in court that he wanted to rape her for ritual purposes.
The suspect Tawanda Maronze (23) was convicted and jailed for four years when he appeared at the Western Commonage Magistrates Court.
The court heard that Maronze took the girl to a bushy area, five kilometres from her home in Solusi where he intended to rape her.
According to the state, he was intercepted by the girl's aunt who was driving along Solusi road and saw her carrying the girl.
Maronze failed to give a satisfactory answer after he was questioned by the aunt, and a police report was made leading to his arrest.
Maronze told a traditional healer told him to kidnap and rape a child for ritual purposes to get quick riches.
He said the traditional leader told him that by committing the sexual offense, he may have cleansed himself.