Chronicle Editor
Sharon Buwerimwe, Court Reporter
A 44-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly raping his 17-year-old daughter on two occasions.
The man from Pumula suburb who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, allegedly sneaked into his daughter’s bedroom while his wife was asleep and abused the girl.
The accused person pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Gladmore Mushove.
He was remanded in custody to December 30 for continuation of trial.
The accused denied the allegations saying: “How could l have raped my own daughter; l am not guilty. There should be someone else who might have raped her who is not me,” he said.
For the State, Stewart Madzore said the man allegedly committed the crime in December 2017.
“On the date unknown to the prosecutor but during the month of December, the accused person unlawfully had sexual intercourse with the complainant twice knowing that she had not consented to it,” he said.
“While the complainant was sleeping, the accused person sneaked naked into the complaint’s blankets and raped her.
“The following morning, the accused person threatened to assault the complainant if she reported the abuse.”
“On count two during the same month, the accused person pretended to be going to the toilet leaving his wife asleep and went to the complainant’s bedroom where he sexually abused her.”
Mr Madzore said after the abuse, the minor visited her grandmother in Nketa suburb and refused to return home.
“Her grandmother asked her why she didn’t want to go home and the complainant revealed that her father had sexually abused her,” he said.
The matter was reported to police leading to the man’s arrest.-@sharonbuwe
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