Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka Chisepo
Court Correspondent
A 47-year-old Harare man, who is facing allegations of raping his stepdaughter, who is a university student, appeared in court yesterday.
The complainant, whose name is being withheld, is a third-year student at Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, South Africa.
Kephas Maunganidze was granted US$500 bail by Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazo Gofa. The court ordered that DNA tests be conducted at Parirenyatwa Hospital in the presence of the investigating officer.
The case was remanded to September 25 pending finalisation of investigations.
The State alleges that Maunganidze is the complainant’s stepfather.
Prosecutor Lawrence Gangarahwe alleged that on Thursday last week, at around 7pm, the complainant was in her mother’s bedroom, lying on the bed and relaxing.
The court heard that Maunganidze entered the bedroom while speaking on his cellphone and continued with the conversation for some time.
It is alleged that he later shouted at the complainant about her sister’s graduation but she remained quiet, while lying on the bed.
The State alleges that Maunganidze then held the complainant by the neck with one hand while using the other to pull down her grey tracksuit bottoms before allegedly raping her once without using protection.
The court heard that the complainant later told her sister what had allegedly happened.
Her sister informed their relatives who accompanied the complainant to ZRP Mabelreign to make a report.
