A 47-YEAR-OLD Esigodini man has been arrested for allegedly
raping his 17-year-old stepdaughter several times resulting in her falling
pregnant.
The man from Shale Village, was not asked to plead when he
appeared briefly before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda facing a rape
charge. The magistrate remanded him in
custody to February 10.
Prosecuting, Miss Faith Mutukwa said the accused person
first raped the complainant on November 10 last year after she was left under
his care by her mother.
“On 10 November 2019 the complainant’s mother travelled and
left her daughter with the accused person.
“On the same day at around 1PM the accused person went
outside and found chicken eating maize which had been placed outside and he
confronted the complainant who was in her bedroom for being irresponsible.
“He then got into the complainant’s bedroom and after
scolding her told her that she was now old enough to make love.
“He grabbed the complainant and started fondling her
breasts but the complainant resisted,” she said.
Miss Mutukwa said the accused person then produced a
kitchen knife from his pocket and ordered the complainant to undress
threatening to stab her if she refused.
She said the accused person raped the complainant and
warned her against reporting the matter to anyone.
Miss Mutukwa said the accused person raped the complainant
on several other occasions in November and December while her mother was away.
She said the victim remained quiet about the matter. The matter came to light on January 20 after the
complainant’s mother suspected that her daughter was pregnant.
Upon questioning, the teenager revealed that her stepfather
had raped her on several occasions.
The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest
of the accused person.
In another incident, an 18-year-old from Gwanda has been
arrested for allegedly raping his nine-year-old cousin on several occasions
while he was staying with her family.
The accused person from Enyandeni Village who cannot be
named to protect the identity of the victim was not asked to plead when he
appeared briefly before Gwanda Magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a rape
charge.
He was remanded in custody to February 10.
Prosecuting, Miss Faith Mutukwa said the offence came to
light on November 20 last year after the complainant revealed the matter to her
mother.
“Sometime in August 2019 the accused went to the
complainant’s bedroom while they were alone in the house, entered into her
blankets and raped her.
“He raped her on several other occasions during the same
month and warned her against reporting.
“The matter came to light on November 20 last year when the
complainant’s mother found the accused person in her daughter’s blankets while
the complainant was sleeping next to him.
“She questioned the accused on what he was doing and the
complainant revealed that he had raped her in August,” she said. Chronicle
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