daniel chigunwe
Senior Court Reporter
A 70-year-old man from Chinamhora was jailed for eight years after he was found guilty of raping his granddaughter after chasing away her two brothers on the night he raped her.
He was initially jailed for 10 years when he appeared before magistrate Mrs Gloria Takundwa before two years of his jail term were set aside.
Two years were set aside on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within that the next five years.
He had denied the charges when his trial opened.
He told the court that he was not in the village on the day in question, as he was at his workplace where he is employed at a local tourism company as a general hand.
“Accused states that he is employed by a tourism company in Harare.
“He is employed as a general hand packer of various goods and belongings for tourists who would be bound to various tourist destinations in Zimbabwe.
“Generally, during the month of November each year, it is quite a busy month for the company when it records highest business due to the impending holiday in December.
“On the day in question when the offence is said to have been committed during the month of November 2021, the accused was at work and the whole of that month they would leave company premises after work at 7:30pm.
“They would work for overtime until 7;30pm and be ferried to town by a company vehicle.
“Accused would daily arrive at home between 8:30pm and 9pm” he said.
He claimed that the matter was fabricated by the girl’s mother because of bad blood between them.
“The accused does not know how the complainant was molested sexually, however, the complainant’’s mother has issues with the accused emanating from the fact that she’s gainfully employed as a house maid in Greendale, Harare, but she neglects her children being the complainant and her siblings.
“She does not buy food. The complainant’s mother has taken an opportunity that after realising that the complainant had been molested sexually by a stranger and she seeks to falsely incriminate the accused person,” he said through his lawyer.
Mrs Netsai Mushayabasa had it that sometime in November last year the girl was in her room with her two brothers when the convicted grandfather entered and started beating her siblings.
The two then escaped through the window leaving him and the girl. The grandfather then took advantage and raped the girl.
Online Reporter