Former Founders High School Biology teacher Obed Rwatiringa has lost his appeal against an effective 20-year prison sentence for raping a 17-year-old pupil aft...
Former Founders High School Biology teacher Obed Rwatiringa has lost his appeal against an effective 20-year prison sentence for raping a 17-year-old pupil after the High Court found there was no evidence that the sexual encounter was consensual.
Rwatiringa had appealed against his conviction and sentence, arguing through his lawyer, Tinashe Runganga, that he was in love with the pupil and that they had engaged in consensual sexual intercourse. The appeal was heard by Justice Munamato Mutevedzi sitting with Justice Bongani Ndlovu.
The court heard that Rwatiringa first sent the pupil to buy pies before proposing a romantic relationship to her. The pupil reported the approach to the school’s guidance and counselling teacher.
The matter later led to the events of 21 February 2026. Shortly after 1pm on that day, Rwatiringa summoned the pupil to the science laboratory for extra lessons, according to evidence heard by the court.
The court was told that after the lesson, Rwatiringa grabbed the pupil’s left hand and forced her onto a chair. She screamed and attempted to resist, but he overpowered her and raped her. The incident was subsequently reported to the police.
Following the report, the pupil was referred to hospital for a medical examination. The medical report was later presented as evidence during the court proceedings and showed that there had been penetration.
Rwatiringa’s appeal was also affected by an earlier procedural development. He had been granted bail pending the appeal but was returned to prison after his lawyer failed to attend the hearing. His lawyer, Runganga, subsequently applied for the appeal to be reinstated.
During the latest appeal, Runganga argued that his client had been in love with the pupil and maintained that the sexual intercourse had been consensual. He also referred to a message Rwatiringa allegedly sent to the pupil after the sexual encounter asking whether she had enjoyed it.
The defence asked the court to replace the rape conviction with the lesser offence of having sexual intercourse with a minor and to impose a lighter sentence. The State opposed the appeal, with chief public prosecutor Kudakwashe Jaravaza representing the prosecution.
Jaravaza told the court that the pupil had quickly reported the incident to a teacher at the school after the sexual encounter. He also relied on the medical report and evidence from witnesses who had testified during the trial. According to the State, the witnesses corroborated one another.
The State’s case was that the evidence before the court supported the conviction for rape rather than the lesser offence proposed by the defence. The prosecution pointed to the pupil’s immediate report, the medical evidence and testimony given during the original trial.
In dismissing the appeal, Justice Mutevedzi said there was no evidence that the sexual encounter had been consensual. The judge also referred to the evidence given during the trial, including the pupil’s demonstration of how she had been sexually attacked, which the trial court found believable.
Justice Mutevedzi further noted that the pupil had reported the incident to her teacher soon after the rape. The judge concluded that the appeal had no merit and dismissed it in its entirety.
The dismissal means Rwatiringa’s appeal against the effective 20-year prison sentence has failed. The case involved the former teacher, the 17-year-old pupil, the original criminal trial and the subsequent High Court appeal proceedings.
