Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
A WOMAN from Esigodini who cheated on her husband, arranged for the man to rape her 17-year-old daughter to appease him.
The couple that cannot be named for ethical reasons has each been sentenced to 17 years in prison for the horrific offence.
They pleaded not guilty to rape when they appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Sithembiso Ndebele but were convicted due to overwhelming evidence.
Prosecuting, Ngonidzashe Shumba said the second accused person who is the mother of the complainant gave permission to her co accused, who is her daughter’s stepfather, to rape the complainant.
“On 31 March 2025 at around 7PM, the accused persons were at home together with the complainant who had visited them. The accused persons had an argument over an issue of infidelity. As a result of the misunderstanding accused two asked accused one to have sexual intercourse with the complainant her biological daughter as a way of averting a possible harm to her
“Accused one then dragged the complainant into the kitchen, locked her inside together with accused one. He then told the complainant that she was going to pay for her mother’s wrong doing. Accused one then raped the complainant and after he was done his co accused opened the door for him and he went out,” he said.
Mr Shumba said the matter came to light after the complainant’s grandmother inquired from the complainant as to why her menstrual cycle had taken longer than expected to arrive. The complainant told her grandmother that the problem started after the accused person had raped her.
The matter was reported to the police who conducted investigations leading to the arrest of the accused persons.
In another incident, a 46-year-old Gwanda man has been jailed 19 years for raping his 10-year-old daughter. The man who cannot be named for ethical reasons was convicted on his own plea of guilty to rape by Gwanda regional magistrate, Sithembiso Ndebele. He was sentenced to an effective 17-year jail term.
Prosecuting, Mr Ngonidzashe Shumba said the accused person raped the complainant after she had been left under his custody by her mother.
“On 11 July 2026, the accused was left with his children including the complainant by his wife who had gone to visit her relatives. The complainant went to sleep in the accused’s bedroom with her younger sibling. During the night the accused had sex with the complainant.
“The accused continued to have sex with the complainant up to the 15th day of July 2026 and she did not tell anyone.
The complainant told her mother when she came back and the matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused,” he said.
