Chronicle Editor
Sindisiwe Sibanda, Sunday News Reporter
A POLICEMAN stationed at Sipepa in Tsholotsho District has appeared in court facing charges of aggravated indecent assault after he allegedly abused his Grade Three daughter on two separate occasions by inserting his fingers in her privates.
The policeman (32), whose identity cannot be revealed to protect identity of the victim, appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mrs Sibongile Msipha-Marondedza last week facing charges of contravening section 65 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
He was remanded in custody to 10 April for trial after the magistrate refused to grant him bail.
Prosecuting, Miss Councillia Ncube told the court that on 20 October 2018 in Tshabalala where the policeman lives, he inserted his finger into the girl’s private parts and continuously kissed her on the mouth and cheeks while the complainant and her younger sister were sitting in the sitting room watching television.
On 20 October 2018 at around 9pm the complainant and her younger sister retired to bed where the accused asked to join them but the complainant’s sister refused saying there was not enough space. The court was told that the following morning on 21 October 2018, the complainant woke up and found her father sleeping next to her in the sitting room. The man started kissing her daughter inserting his fingers into her panties.
When the daughter was making the bed, her father gave her sister 50cents and instructed her to play outside leaving the accused with the small girl. The accused further threatened to kill the complainant if she discussed and revealed what had happened.
The complainant while playing outside remembered that they were taught about sexual abuse at school leading her to flee from his father’s house taking along her younger sister to their mother’s house who also resides in Tshabalala. Upon arrival the girl kept quiet about the ordeal she faced.
The girl started to have some discharge on her privates and that is when she revealed to the mother what had happened leading to her father’s arrest. The girl was taken to a clinic for medical examinations.
— @macindie1
derick.khumalo