By Staff Reporter
Bulawayo – Siqokoqela Mphoko, the son of former vice president Phelekezela Mphoko, has won his appeal against conviction and a 20-year jail sentence for allegedly raping his niece.
Appeal judges Bongani Ndlovu and Munamato Mutevedzi of the Bulawayo High Court said the conviction was due to concerns about the credibility of the complaint and the potential for coercion.
The court found that the child’s mother may have influenced her daughter’s statement through threats, while social workers may have used leading questions.
Additionally, the delayed reporting of the alleged incident raised questions about the reliability of the conviction.
However, the court upheld Mphoko’s conviction for escaping lawful custody, sentencing him to two months in prison.
In May 2023, Bulawayo regional Magistrate Elijah Singano, had sentenced Mphoko to 20 years in prison for three counts of rape and escaping lawful custody.
Mphoko’s lawyer, Thobekile Dube, had argued for a lesser sentence due to his client’s medical conditions, while prosecutor Concilia Ncube opposed this, citing the potential lifelong trauma for the victim.
Mphoko had denied the rape allegations, claiming they were a conspiracy by senior family members to silence him regarding his biological mother.
The High Court’s decision effectively overturns his initial conviction.