Bulawayo man jailed 20 years for raping daughter

Dalyn Chigwizura

A 40 YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man who raped his 16-year-old daughter while his 15-year-old younger brother looked on, was on Thursday sentenced to an effective 20 years in jail.

The man from Pumula South suburb, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of the minor victim, was convicted of rape by Western Commonage regional magistrate Mrs Sibongile Marondedze.

In passing sentence, Mrs Marondedze described the accused as a danger to society, emphasising that the court had a duty to protect vulnerable children from predators, especially those within the family.
“This sentence should serve as a strong message to fathers that their duty is to protect their children not violate them,” she said.

The prosecutor, Ms Samantha Gubede, told the court that the incident occurred on the night of 27 April. The complainant had just finished cooking and serving dinner when her father called her aside, pretending he wanted to speak with her.
“The accused told his daughter that she should not lose her virginity to a stranger, and claimed that he was the one who should take it,” she said.

That night, the man ordered his daughter to sleep on the floor in his bedroom while he slept on the bed. In the middle of the night, he instructed her to join him in bed. When she refused, he forcibly pulled her, tore her skirt and raped her.

The accused’s younger brother was awakened by the girl’s screams and witnessed the incident.

The following morning, the girl narrated her ordeal to her grandfather, who reported the matter to police leading to the accused’s arrest.

The complainant was taken to hospital for a medical examination, which confirmed sexual abuse.