Man jailed 18 years for raping 4-year-old stepdaughter

Prosper Dembedza

Herald Correspondent

A 45-YEAR-OLD man from Harare has been jailed for 18 years after being found guilty of raping his four-year-old stepdaughter.

Nomore Muzanenhamo, who took advantage of the absence of the toddler’s mother to rape her, was convicted after a full trial.

The presiding magistrate, Mr Nowel Mupeiwa, ruled that the State, led by Mrs Cecilia Mashingaidze, managed to prove a prima facie case against the accused person.

Mrs Mashingaidze proved that on March 7 this year, the complainant’s mother went to Mhondoro, leaving the complainant in Muzanenhamo’s custody.

The following day, she returned and found the complainant asleep on the chair. She then woke her up, but she did not welcome her as she usually did.

The court heard that the mother then lifted the complainant and discovered that she had soiled her pants.

The mother then took the child to the bedroom to change her clothes, and that is when the toddler informed her that Muzanenhamo had injured her, and she inspected her private parts.

A report was made leading to Muzanenhamo’s arrest.