My wife is now boring: 15 years in jail over lula lula with maid in sitting room and giving her US$1 for Whatsapp bundles

A 54-year-old Harare man has been sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison after raping an 18-year-old domestic worker at his home in Ingwe Farm, where she had been sleeping on the sitting-room floor.

The assault took place at about 4am on August 30, while the man’s wife was away on night duty. The Harare Regional Magistrates’ Court convicted and sentenced him. The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe said the man was in his bedroom with his five-year-old daughter before going into the sitting room to check his mobile phone.

The young worker was asleep under a blanket. The court heard that the man woke her and complained that his wife’s night duties were boring him. He then demanded sexual intercourse. When she refused, he forcibly removed her blanket and raped her.

After the attack, he gave her US$1 to buy a WhatsApp bundle and told her to keep quiet. The money and the instruction to remain silent were part of what happened in the hours after the assault, according to the prosecution account. The victim did not remain silent: at around 6am, she went to a neighbour and reported what had happened.

The neighbour accompanied her to the police station. The report led to the man’s arrest and, later, his conviction in court. The available account does not name either the victim or the convicted man. It identifies him as 54 and describes the victim as an 18-year-old domestic worker employed at his home.

The NPAZ condemned sexual violence and said it maintained a zero-tolerance position towards such offences. “The NPAZ condemns all forms of sexual violence and maintains a zero-tolerance stance towards such offences,” the authority said.

It added that it remained committed to “protecting communities, supporting victims and ensuring that offenders are held accountable for their actions”.

The Harare case is among a number of rape convictions and prison sentences reported in Zimbabwe in recent months. In Mberengwa, a 23-year-old man, Nkululeko Moyo, was sentenced to 17 years in prison after being convicted on two counts of rape at the Zvishavane Regional Magistrates’ Court. The victim was a 29-year-old woman.

The court heard that the incident happened at about 3am on May 19, 2025. Moyo and the woman had agreed to spend the night together at his home for a fee. As they walked, he broke an empty beer bottle and demanded money from her. When she said she had none, he dragged her into nearby bush, forced her to undress and raped her.

After the first attack, the woman was made to dress and walk with him for about 100 metres. He then forced her to undress again and raped her a second time. The two continued walking after the second assault, but Moyo ran away when they heard people approaching from behind. The woman reported the case to police and was referred to Mberengwa Hospital for a medical examination. Moyo was arrested and later convicted following a full trial.

Another recent case was heard in Inyathi, where a 51-year-old man received an effective 40-year prison sentence for raping his 14-year-old daughter on two occasions. He was convicted on two counts by a Bulawayo regional magistrate after pleading not guilty. The assaults took place at the family home while the girl’s mother was away.

The first assault occurred in February, when the girl was alone in the kitchen and her father called her into his bedroom. The second happened on February 10, when he found her alone and called her to bring him his trousers. The court heard that he threatened to kill her after each assault if she told anyone. She confided in her mother on February 14, and they reported the matter to police in Inyathi.

The three cases involved different circumstances and victims, but each ended with a prison sentence after a court conviction. In Harare, the worker’s report to a neighbour led to police involvement within hours. In Inyathi, the girl told her mother, who went with her to the police. In Mberengwa, the woman went to the local police station and was sent for a medical examination. Each account records a report being made to authorities before the respective cases proceeded through the courts.

In the Harare case, the sentence follows the court’s finding that the domestic worker was raped in the home where she was employed. The room where she slept was part of the family’s living space, and the attack happened while the employer’s wife was away on duty. The victim sought help from a neighbour shortly after dawn, and the neighbour accompanied her to the police station.

The 15-year effective sentence brings the case to a close in court, while the NPAZ’s statement made clear its position on sexual violence and accountability. The authority said it remained committed to protecting communities and supporting victims as offenders are held accountable for their actions.