BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

A 31-year-old man from Victoria Falls appeared in court on Monday facing two counts of rape against his 15-year-old daughter.

Elton Zibusiso Nyathi, was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to September 30 at the Hwange Regional Court.

According to court records, Nyathi allegedly raped his daughter on two separate occasions. The first incident occurred on September 4, at around midnight, when Nyathi entered his daughter’s bedroom and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her without her consent and threatened to kill her if she reveals the matter to anyone.

The second incident occurred on September 9, at around 3 pm, when Nyathi dragged his daughter to his bedroom and again forcibly had sexual intercourse with her without her consent.

“Accused person who is the complainant’s father arrived at home and asked the complainant to cook potato chips for him,” the state records reads.

“The complainant then went to the kitchen to prepare the potato chips, the accused person then followed the complainant in the kitchen, grabbed the complainant’s hand and dragged her to his bedroom and locked the door. Whilst in the bedroom the accused person pushed the complainant to the floor and she fell down and he raped her.”

The court records indicate that Nyathi has a known record of previous convictions and has pending cases at court, including unlawful entry into premises.

The prosecution argued that Nyathi is likely to interfere with evidence and witnesses, given his relationship with the complainant, and is also likely to commit other offences. Additionally, the prosecution argued that Nyathi is likely to abscond due to the seriousness of the offence and the potential lengthy sentence he may face if convicted.

The magistrate, Gift Manyika, remanded Nyathi in custody, citing the seriousness of the offence and the need to protect the complainant and the community.

BY STAFF REPORTER

As the Zimbabwean government considers culling elephants to provide protein to starving communities, villagers from Matabeleland North province share their thoughts on the controversial plan.

Councilor from Mabale, Eugene Sibanda from Ward 17 welcomes the idea, citing the devastating drought and the need for community development. “We’re tired of the destructions they have done in our communities, they are now too many so their decision to kill is welcomed,” he says. “When will this happen?”

Lenziwe Nyoni from Kamativi has a personal reason for supporting the culling. “Elephants killed my father in 2013,” she says, her voice trembling. “We want compensation and justice. They should kill them.”

Elizabeth Thebe from Chief Mvuthu in Hwange is frustrated with the destruction caused by elephants. “They’re not our cows,” she says. “We’re scared to move around, and they destroy our fields. If the owners want to kill them, that’s alright. They should kill them.”

Daniel Sithole from Green Shango Environmental Trust agrees with the minister’s decision, citing climate change impacts. “We respect international laws on wildlife,” he says, “but human rights come first.”

The proposal to cull elephants in Zimbabwe follows Namibia’s recently announced plans to cull 723 wild animals — including 83 elephants — to mitigate the effects of the drought and distribute the meat to communities facing food shortages.

Elephants are protected by international conventions, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

The discussion reveals a complex issue, with some seeing the culling as a necessary solution to food insecurity and others opposing it due to personal experiences, fear, or concerns about implementation.

As the government moves forward with the culling process, some say it’s essential to consider the diverse perspectives and ensure that the decision is made with the best interests of both humans and animals in mind.

BY STAFF REPORTER

New report reveals concerning trends in Matabeleland North Province: High rates of chronic illnesses like HIV & disability conditions, plus lower school attendance rates.

DETAILED STORY TO FOLLOW…