Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
A 46-YEAR-OLD Gwanda man has been jailed 16 years for raping his 15-year-old niece.
The accused, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, pleaded not guilty to rape but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence by Gwanda regional magistrate, Ms Sithembiso Ndebele.
The accused was caught in the act by the complainant’s grandmother.
Prosecuting, Mr Ngonidzashe Shumba said the accused person and the complainant were staying together at her grandmother’s homestead.
“On the fateful day, the accused person found the complainant playing with other children in the yard and he sent the other children on an errand and told the complainant that she was supposed to stay behind to wash some dishes in the kitchen,” said Mr Shumba.
The accused then followed the complainant into the kitchen where he ordered her to remove her clothes as he wanted to have sexual intercourse with her but the complainant refused. The accused person grabbed the complainant and raped her, the court heard.
Mr Shumba said the accused person was caught in the act by the complainant’s grandmother who is his aunt.
The matter was reported to the police resulting in his arrest.
In passing the sentence, Ms Ndebele said she had taken into account the age difference between the complainant and accused person.
She said the accused who was supposed to protect the complainant decided to harm her.
“The accused person is an uncle to the complainant, which means he was supposed to protect her but he decided to harm her,” said Ms Ndebele.
— @DubeMatutu
