Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A BEITBRIDGE man who raped his six-year-old niece has been jailed for an effective 18 years, with the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) warning perpetrators of child sexual abuse that they will face the full force of the law.
The 33-year-old man was sentenced by the Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court after being convicted of raping the child at his homestead on September 2.
According to the NPAZ, the man visited the victim’s homestead at around 6pm while the child was returning a wheelbarrow.
He allegedly called her into a kitchen hut before taking her to his bedroom, where he raped her.
The child’s mother later became concerned after noticing that her daughter was taking too long to return.
She went looking for her and, together with a caretaker at the homestead, searched the rooms.
They eventually found the accused asleep in one of the bedrooms with the child.
The mother immediately took her daughter and reported the matter to the police, leading to the man’s arrest.
In a statement, the NPAZ condemned sexual violence against children, particularly where the abuse is allegedly committed by people who are supposed to care for or protect them.
“The NPAZ condemns all forms of sexual violence, especially those perpetrated against vulnerable children by individuals who are supposed to care for them, and warns that perpetrators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
“We urge members of the public to protect children and report all cases of sexual abuse,” said the authority.
