Mvangeli Moyo of Sibanda Village in Avoca under chief Maduna did not refute that he slept with the complainant along Mbembesi River. He said he however, realised a few minutes after they started that the woman was on menstruati0n.

He said he stopped and tried to withdraw but the woman who was now enjoying would not allow him to stop.

“She craved for it and urged me on,” said Moyo.

Moyo who will spend the next 14 years in prison argued that this was therefore not a rap_e case.

The matter was heard by Gwanda regional magistrate Mark Dzira.

It is the State case that on April 20, 2018, the complainant was on her way from Mbembesi River where she had gone to fetch water and was pushing a wheelbarrow with 60 litres of the precious liquid on it when she was ambushed and overpowered by Moyo.

The complainant was on her period and the accused used her pant to wipe off the blood and rap_ed her once before falling asleep. This gave the complainant an opportunity to escape before neighbours came and apprehended Moyo.