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Sylvester Chiramba, Court Reporter
A 35-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly raping his four-year-old niece in Nketa 9 suburb.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor, allegedly raped his niece, an Early Childhood Development (ECD) pupil, twice between November 2016 and April last year.
The minor allegedly told her aunt about the first incident and she ignored her. The man was not asked to plead when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube facing two counts of rape.
Mr Ncube remanded him in custody to March 22.
He advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.
Prosecuting, Mr Petros Shoko said sometime between November 2016 and April 2017, the minor was staying with her uncle in Nketa 9 suburb.
“On a day unknown to the prosecutor but in April 2016, the accused person allegedly raped his niece once while his wife was outside,” said Mr Shoko.
“Afterwards the girl went outside and told her aunt who ignored her and continued with her work. The accused then raped the minor again once on a later date.”
Mr Shoko said the matter came to light when the child’s minder suspected that the girl may have been raped while she was bathing her. She interrogated her until she revealed her ordeal. A police report was filed which led to the uncle’s arrest. — @SlyCee10
derick.khumalo