A MATOPO man jailed for raping his 12-year-old niece was allegedly pardoned by President Robert Mugabe recently despite the fact that rapists were not covered under the Presidential Amnesty.
By Chief Reporter
The rapist identified as Jaison Gaba Dube is now allegedly threatening villagers with unspecified action for causing his arrest.
This first came to light during debate in the Senate last week when Matabeleland South Senator Watchy Sibanda (MDC-T) asked Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister Emmerson Mnangagwa if rapists were also covered under the amnesty.
Prisoners who committed murder, rape, treason, carjacking, armed robbery and stock theft were excluded.
“My question is, was your ministry involved when the President gave amnesty to the prisoners?
“I am asking this question because, in my constituency, there was a man who raped his 12-year- old niece and now is out in the communal lands there. I am saddened because that is a girl child and this person is supposed to be incarcerated,” Sibanda said.
In response, Mnangagwa said: “The amnesty which we granted resulted in over 3 000 prisoners being released, but we exempted two categories.
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“One was those who committed rape, were exempted from benefitting from the amnesty and those who committed aggravated murder and robbery were not included in the 3 000 persons who benefited from the amnesty.
“Your particular individual, if it is true that he is out as a result of the recent amnesty I would wish to get the details because even if you look at the Government Gazette, it specifically and clearly states that those who committed rape are exempted from benefiting from the amnesty.”
Yesterday, Sibanda told our Bulawayo Bureau that he was related to Dube, adding that the rape incident came to light after the girl fell pregnant.
