Zimbabwe police arrested a 33-year-old Roman Catholic priest for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl who worked for him.He raped her a second time and asked her to marry him to cover up the crime, the girl (name withheld) alleges.
The incident occurred in a Catholic Church in Mwenezi where the priest lived in separate rooms with the maid.
Inspector Tinaye Matake, police spokesman for Masvingo Province confirmed the incident to Zimbabwe Sunday News. He said the priest had since been arrested and was in police custody.
Inspector Matake speaking to the press, said the name of the priest would be made public once the case against him is investigated and charges filed in court.
According to the police spokesman, the priest sometime in August this year advertised for a maid to help with Church errands. The priest settled for the 17-year-old victim who is also Catholic, after screening of several candidates. The alleged victim moved from her Gokomere area residence into the Church in Mwenezi. In September no sooner than the girl moved into the Church that the priest took her to his room and had sex.
The girl alleges that sometime in September, she was required to prepare and serve food at a scheduled event in the Church and when she went to the priest’s to room to inform him she was leaving for the event, he invited her to the bed and raped her.
He threatened to terminate her job if she reported the sexual encounter and promised not to do it again, according to the girl’s testimony.
The priest breached his promise on October 18. In the evening of that day according to the girl, the priest woke her up for her to prepare food for visitors and caressed her as she prepared the food. His kitchen romance the girl continued, ended up in a bedroom sex romp as the priest took her to his bedroom.
After the second rape encounter according to the victim, the priest asked her to marry him saying he was in love with her.
She believed she was being used and reported the incidents to Masvingo Provincial Police Victim Friendly Unit, while the priest was away in Mutare for a church meeting.
Catholic priests are sworn to celibacy vow, which bars them from marrying and fornication.
The priest’s parish nor the Vatican at the time of this report had made no statement on the case.
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