Caretaker sentenced for rape

2006-03-22 23:01

Harare - A caretaker found guilty of raping three schoolgirls and sexually abusing several others at a school in eastern Zimbabwe was sentenced to 22 years in jail with hard labour, said reports on Wednesday.

James Sangarwe, 39, was convicted last week of raping three pupils aged between nine and 11 at Macheke Primary School in 2004.

He was also convicted on 10 counts of indecent assault and one of crimen injuria (violation of privacy or dignity) against pupils at the school, where he had worked for 11 years.

According to reports, he was sentenced on Tuesday by magistrate Rogers Manyangadze in the town of Marondera.

Accused 'fatherly figure'

The magistrate said: "This rape was very serious and must be highly condemned. There was a serious breach of trust. The accused was viewed as a fatherly figure by pupils."

According to reports, the magistrate found that the age of the victims - all of them aged between seven and 12 - had aggravated the case against Sangarwe.

The reports said: "The court also noted that although Sangarwe was found to be HIV negative, this did not reduce the gravity of the offence he committed."

Sangarwe had denied all the charges, arguing that the school headmistress had set him up.

Child sexual abuse was on the increase in Zimbabwe. Activists had previously criticised the courts for handing down lenient sentences against perpetrators.

The reports said Sangarwe's lawyer would appeal against the sentence at a higher court.

- SAPA