Domestic worker rapes employer’s 4-year-old grand-daughter, jailed 20 years

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu

A 27-YEAR-OLD Gwanda domestic worker would spend the next 20 years behind bars after raping his employer’s four-year-old grand-daughter who was left under his custody.

Prosper Sibanda who pleaded not guilty to a rape charge was convicted due to overwhelming evidence by Gwanda regional magistrate, Mrs Sithembiso Ndebele. He was sentenced to an effective 20 year jail term.

Prosecuting, Ms Zanele Sithole said Sibanda who was employed as a domestic worker at the complainant’s grandparents homestead raped the toddler who is an ECD B learner last month.

“On 13 February 2026 the complainant was left in the custody of the accused person when her grandparents went to Mzimuni Village. In the afternoon the complainant was sleeping on the couch when the accused person picked her up and took her into his room,” she said.

“The accused person laid down the complainant on his bed, kissed her on the lips, fondled her private parts and then raped her.

“The matter came to light when the victim narrated her story to her grandmother. The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused person,” said Ms Sithole.

In passing the sentence, Mrs Ndebele said despite denying the allegations, evidence presented in court proved that the accused person had committed the offence. She said what is aggravating is the age difference between the accused and the victim and that the complainant was left under custody of the accused.

“What is aggravating is the fact that the complainant is four years old making her a vulnerable. There is also a huge age difference of 23 years between the complainant and accused person,” she said.

“The complainant could be emotionally scarred for life because of the actions of the accused person.

“The accused person was also expected to protect the complainant but went on to violate her. The complainant’s grandparents trusted him and that’s why they left the complainant under his custody. The accused person took advantage of the situation to violate the complainant.”

Mrs Ndebele said the accused person was a danger to community as he victimises young children. He said a deterrent sentence was necessary to serve as a lesson for like-minded people.

In his defense the accused person said the complainant’s grandparents had fabricated the allegations but he was not sure why.

-@DubeMatutu