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EX-UNESWA LECTURER JAILED 15YRS FOR RAPING STUDENT

05/04/2024 10:25:00 Phiwase Phungwayo

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ANZINI – The former University of Eswatini (UNESWA) lecturer who raped a student in his office has been sentenced to 15 years.

rancis Makamba, who committed the offence in 2019, was sentenced by Manzini Principal Magistrate David Khumalo yesterday. The court found that Makamba’s defence that the student enticed him into having sexual intercourse did not hold water.

akamba, from Zimbabwe, was a Molecular Biology lecturer and Head of the Biological Sciences Department in the Faculty of Science and Engineering. His sentencing comes after he was previously found guilty of contravening Section 3(1) (2) (3) of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act of 2018, in that he unlawful had sexual intercourse with the 21-year-old student.

The complainant was a third-year student when the offence was committed on March 21, 2019 in Makamba’s office at UNESWA, Kwaluseni Campus. During the trial, the student informed the court that she was called by Makamba after a class conducted by him, who then requested for her cellphone number. He reportedly gave the student his phone to dial her phone number, which she did.

According to the student, she was hoping to create a platonic relationship with Makamba, since students were permitted to select their supervisors. She submitted that this was not the first time the lecturer had requested for her phone number.

The student narrated to the court that shortly after they went their separate ways, she received a call from the lecturer, to confirm if he was given the correct number. In the afternoon, the complainant submitted that the lecturer texted her and referred to her as ‘sunshine’ and other pet names. She highlighted that she did not find anything suspicious in this, because he would refer to other female students using pet names.

Voice note

The student went on to relate to the court that on the day in question, she received a voice note from Makamba, informing her that he was missing her. He reportedly requested to see her in his office. The student relayed that she became angry at the lecturer for kissing her on the mouth, because she did not understand why he did so. She elaborated that she left for her room, only to return to Makamba’s office in the afternoon, with the intention to express how inappropriate and disrespected she felt after his stunt. However, when she got into the office, the student said Makamba locked the door before kissing her while he pushed her against his desk.

The complainant recounted that Makamba went back into his chair while still kissing her with his arm around her neck. She claimed that he pulled her face towards him while she tried to pull away. According to the student, Makamba forced her into performing oral sex before he forced himself on her. When he was done, the lecturer was said to have offered the student E200 to buy morning after pills. The student reportedly confided in her friend about the ordeal and her mother was called to fetch her.

On the other hand, the former lecturer had submitted evidence to the effect that he had consensual sexual intercourse with the complainant in a place surrounded by a hive of activity and heavy foot traffic flow in broad daylight. He further informed the court that he was in a relationship with the complainant, who would now and then pass by his office and kiss him on the forehead, cheek and lips.

According to Makamba, on March 21, 2019, the complainant came to his office at around midday, saying she wanted to talk to him. He asserted that as he was busy at that moment, the complainant left and asked that he called her when he was free. The former lecturer claimed that at around 3pm, he called the complainant and told her that she could come and she responded to the affirmative. Makamba alleged that when the complainant came to his office, she said she wanted to give him a ‘proper kiss’ and she asked him to lock the door.