Student raped at Lwiindi Gonde ceremony
By George Zulu
A STUDENT teacher in Monze District of Southern Province was raped by an unknown man at the just-ended Lwiindi Gonde traditional ceremony of the Tonga people in Senior Chief Monze’s chiefdom.
The sexual assault happened in the early hours of Monday when the named student at one of the colleges in the district went to the bush with a friend to answer the call of nature.
According to police sources the two women had gone to the Lwiindi Gonde ceremony to sell some merchandise to raise some money.
The officers said the students were approached by two men who saw them in bush and threatened to arrest and demanded a payment in order to release them.
Southern Province Commissioner of Police Auxensio Daka said the victim suffered painful bruises on her private parts.
“Gonde Operational Police Post under Monze Police Station received a report in which a female aged 24 years, a student at a named college of education reported that she was raped by an unknown person whom she can identify if seen. The victim sustained pain in her private parts,” Daka said.
He said the rape happened around 05:00 hours.
“Brief facts of the matter are that at around 05:00 hours today [Monday], the complainant, who was camped at the Lwiindi Gonde traditional ceremony where she had taken some merchandise for sale with her friend, went to ease themselves in a nearby bush,” Daka explained.
“They were then approached by two unknown persons who handcuffed them for urinating in a prohibited area. The suspects further threatened to hand them over to the police if they did not pay K500 each,” he said.
Daka said one of the students paid the K500 and was released, leaving her friend in the custody of the assailants.
He said the assailants demanded sex as compensation for her failure to pay K500 and demanded that she be taken to police.
“The friend opted to pay and was released, while the complainant had no money to pay. One of the suspects then solicited for sex from her in exchange for her freedom. She demanded to be taken to the police instead, but was taken further into the bush on the pretext of being taken to Malende Shrine. She was further threatened and subsequently raped by one of the suspects. A medical report form was issued to the victim, who has since been taken to Monze Mission Hospital for medical attention. A docket has been opened. No arrest has been made yet. Investigations into the matter are ongoing,” said Daka.
