Former Zimbabwe Vice President’s Son Sentenced To Prison

Siqokoqela Mphoko, the son of Phelekezela Mphoko, a former vice-president of Zimbabwe, received a 20-year prison term for three counts of rape.

Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Elijah Singano sentenced Siqokoqela to an additional two-month term for disobeying a court order after finding him responsible for violating the victim’s fundamental rights.

Mphoko’s lack of morals is evidenced by the fact that he was three times older than the victim.

The former vice president’s son allegedly threatened to kill the woman if she told anybody about the situation.

Additionally, it was learned that the victim looked up to Mphoko as a father figure; nonetheless, he broke her confidence, breaching the victim’s and her family’s rights.

In support of a lighter sentence, Mphoko’s attorney cited his health issues and his responsibilities to his family. His attorney claimed that the man had a young family, as well as movable possessions including a house and cars. The prosecutor claimed that the victim will experience long-term psychological effects.

Singano, however, argued that the court must act in the child’s best interests and that numerous constitutional rights of the victim—including those to privacy, good health, education, and dignity—were infringed. The defence’s plea for the magistrate to combine the three counts into one for sentencing was granted.

The magistrate said; “Lawfully each count of rape is equal to 10 years in prison and sentencing the accused 30 years for each count will be on the harsh side considering that it is the same victim and in a short space of time. The court is inclined to impose 20 years of imprisonment for all three counts and unfortunately, the court cannot further suspend this sentence as it will be taken for belittling this serious crime. The accused is therefore sentenced to an effective 20 years in prison for count one to three and two months for count four which will be served concurrently with the previous counts.”