A SENIOR teacher at Tshovani primary school in Chiredzi, Stanford Godfrey Sithole was brought before a Chiredzi magistrare this week facing two counts of rape and seven counts of indecent assault.
Public prosecutor, Chiedza Muhwandavaka told the court that on November 14, this year Stanford Godfrey Sithole (65), a senior teacher at the council owned school, took a 12 year female pupil (name withheld) to his house after he found her alone in the class after school hours. Sithole allegedly had sexual intercourse with the complainant once without her consent.
The court also heard that after two days, the accused called the same juvenile into his classroom after school when she had returned to collect her satchel which she had forgotten. He locked the classroom door and allegedly forced the juvenile to sleep on the floor and raped her once. The court also heard that on the first day Sithole raped the first complainant, he had earlier on fondled another 12 year old pupil in the classroom. It is alleged that Sithole approached the complainant from behind while she was seated on the desk and fondled her left breast without her consent.
On the second day when he allegedly raped the first complainant, he also fondled the second complainant after he called her back into the class room after school. The court also heard that during the period between September and November this year, Sithole indecently assaulted two more pupils aged 13 and 11 years respectively.
One of the pupils was beaten by him on the buttocks with a stick and when she started crying, he caressed her buttocks in full view of other pupils in the class who could not hold their laughter. On the same day after school, he allegedly called another girl (11) back into the classroom and asked her if sh had breasts. He then fondled her breasts before she bolted away.
Between May and July, the court heard that the senior teacher fondled breasts of two other girls without their consent. One of the girls was asked to pack some books by the accused on his desk and was fondled in the process.
Sithole, who was represented by Kwirira and Magwaliba legal practitioners was remanded in custody to December 6. He was not asked to plead. Magistrate Honest Musiyiwa, presided over the case.