South African Returnee in Court Over Alleged 2011 Child Rape
A long‑pending 2011 child sexual abuse case has re‑emerged in the Gweru Regional Magistrates Court, centering on allegations against a South African returnee, Henry Razika.
Dumisani Ndlovu 
Gweru — A 34-year-old man, South African returnee, has appeared before the Gweru Regional Magistrates Court charged with rape following allegations that he sexually abused a nine-year-old girl in 2011.
Henry Razika, who recently returned to Zimbabwe from South Africa, appeared before Regional Magistrate Sibongile Marondedze facing a charge of rape as defined in Section 65 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].
He denied the allegations and was remanded in custody to July 28 for possible trial.
According to the State, the alleged offences occurred between June and August 2011 at a residence in Old Ascot, Gweru, when the complainant was nine years old.
Prosecutors allege that Razika repeatedly sexually assaulted the child while she was in his care whenever her grandmother travelled to South Africa on cross-border business.
Court papers state that Razika was 19 years old at the time of the alleged offences and is related to the complainant.
The case comes before the courts approximately 15 years after the alleged offences, highlighting the lengthy delays that sometimes occur before allegations of child sexual abuse are brought before the justice system as suspect evade the law.
The State maintains that because the complainant was nine years old at the time of the alleged offences, she was legally incapable of consenting to sexual intercourse.
