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A Harare man who raped his 14-year-old sister-in-law after agreeing with his wife to take her as his second wife will spend 12 years in jail.
The 25-year-old man pleaded not guilty to rape charges, but was convicted after a full trial.Harare magistrate Ms Fadzai Mtombeni sentenced the man to 15 years behind bars before setting aside three years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in a period of five years.
“Accused took advantage of the girl’s age. He and his wife wanted to marry the complainant because his wife could not have children.
“The offence was made serious by the fact that the complainant clearly refused to have sex with her sister’s husband,” said Ms Mtombeni.
Proven facts are that on August 11 this year the complainant who had visited her sister’s home was in the sitting room watching television.
The man approached the girl and clamped his hand over her mouth telling her that if he did not have sex with her, she would have to leave for the village.
The girl started crying and the man left her. Three days later at around 11pm the man accompanied the girl to dump rubbish at an open space in the neighbourhood.
On their way back he tripped the girl and raped her. After the sexual abuse the girl asked her brother-in-law why he had raped her.
He replied that he wanted to commit suicide and he left her and went home.
Online Reporter