Zambian cattle herder jailed on rape charge

A YOUNG Zambian national who worked in the Caprivi Region as a cattle herder has a 15-year prison term stretching out ahead of him after he was convicted and sentenced on a charge of rape last week.

Jimmy Nawa (20) was herding cattle at Mukawa, a village in the Caprivi Region, when a 10-year-old girl accused him of having raped her on October 16 last year. On Wednesday, Nawa’s trial ended in the Katima Mulilo Regional Court with Magistrate William Kasitomo convicting Nawa of rape and sentencing him to 15 years’ imprisonment.The court heard that on October 16 last year, Nawa called some children to the hut where he was living and asked them to bring him some water and prepare food for him.At some stage, Nawa chased out all the children except for a 10-year-old girl.When she, too, wanted to leave, he closed the door of the hut.He then forced her to his bed and had sexual intercourse with her.Children who were outside came to the girl’s rescue when they came to the hut to look for her.When she got out of the hut, she reported that Nawa had raped her, the court heard.Nawa vanished from the scene.By October 25, though, he was arrested and charged.While he denied the charge at his trial, part of the evidence against him was a statement that the Police took from him after his arrest.In the statement, Nawa admitted that he had sex with the girl, but claimed it was not complete intercourse.Nawa stood trial without legal representation.Public Prosecutor Pieter Smit conducted the prosecution.On Wednesday, Nawa’s trial ended in the Katima Mulilo Regional Court with Magistrate William Kasitomo convicting Nawa of rape and sentencing him to 15 years’ imprisonment.The court heard that on October 16 last year, Nawa called some children to the hut where he was living and asked them to bring him some water and prepare food for him.At some stage, Nawa chased out all the children except for a 10-year-old girl.When she, too, wanted to leave, he closed the door of the hut.He then forced her to his bed and had sexual intercourse with her.Children who were outside came to the girl’s rescue when they came to the hut to look for her.When she got out of the hut, she reported that Nawa had raped her, the court heard.Nawa vanished from the scene.By October 25, though, he was arrested and charged.While he denied the charge at his trial, part of the evidence against him was a statement that the Police took from him after his arrest.In the statement, Nawa admitted that he had sex with the girl, but claimed it was not complete intercourse.Nawa stood trial without legal representation.Public Prosecutor Pieter Smit conducted the prosecution.