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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
A GWANDA man has been jailed 16 years for raping his 15-year-old niece on several occasions and impregnating her.
The man (31) from Mahankwe Village who cannot be named for ethical reasons raped the juvenile between May and August last year while she was staying with him at his homestead.
He pleaded not guilty to rape when he appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Mr Mark Dzira, but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence.
He was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment and two years were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
Prosecuting, Mr Blessing Gundani said the juvenile remained quiet about the matter out of fear of being assaulted by her uncle.
“On a date unknown to the prosecutor but during the period extending from May to August 2018 the complainant was staying at her uncle’s homestead. One night the juvenile was asleep with her four-year-old cousin when the accused person entered the room and approached her.
“He started kissing the juvenile and proposed love to her but she turned him down. He forced the complainant to lie down. The juvenile screamed for help but her uncle threatened to assault her. He raped the complainant and warned her against reporting the matter to anyone and left the room,” he said.
Mr Gundani said the man raped the juvenile on other occasions during her stay with him and warned her against reporting.
He said the juvenile discovered that she was pregnant and told her uncle who ordered her to remain quiet about the matter.
Mr Gundani said the matter came to light after the complainant’s parents noticed she was pregnant.
He said the juvenile revealed that her uncle had raped her. The matter was reported to the police resulting in the man’s arrest.
In his defence through his lawyer Mr McAllister Ncube of Mabhikwa and Partners the man denied the allegations saying the complainant had fabricated the allegations just to fix him for chasing her away from his homestead for being mischievous.
—@DubeMatutu
Online Reporter