A pastor in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, has been sentenced to 30 years in jail after allegedly infecting a 16-year-old girl with HIV and genital warts while claiming to be driving out a death demon that wanted to kill her father.
According to myzimbabwe.co.zw, 33-year-old Greatness Tapfuma was convicted of two counts of rape.
The pastor, who was acquitted of raping two other congregants, will serve an effective 25 years in jail after five years were suspended on condition that he does not within that period commit a similar crime.
Magistrate Mberewere ruled that although Tapfuma's victim tested HIV positive, there was no evidence that Tapfuma is the one who infected her.
Prosecutor Robin Mukura told the court that Tapfuma called the girl to his home and raped her in exchange for prayers for her father who was said to be facing death.
He then ordered her to keep the sexual act a secret as divulging it would provoke the death spirit to kill her father immediately. The girl notice blisters on her genitals and reported the matter to her mother.
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