Chronicle Editor
Precious Maphosa, Sunday News Reporter
A 49-year-old man from Sizinda in Bulawayo has appeared in court for repeatedly raping his daughter in a space of two years, on one occasion in South Africa in the presence of his grandchild, as part of a ritual to get rich.
The man, whose identity cannot be revealed to protect the daughter last week appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Trynos Utahwashe facing charges of contravening section 65 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
He was remanded in custody to Monday for trial after the magistrate refused to grant him bail. Prosecuting, Mr Robin Mukura said on 11 February 2014, the daughter who was already four months pregnant, went to South Africa to seek employment.
The court heard when she arrived she went to her father’s residence. The daughter went to sleep thinking that her father would go to work as he had said. However, the court heard that instead, the man locked the doors and undressed before violently undressing his daughter and raped her.
The daughter who was four months pregnant during the sexual assault told her sister of what had happened, and was advised to come back to Zimbabwe. The court heard that in November 2016, way after the woman had given birth, she returned to South Africa where she looked for her own place of residence.
However, when the father got wind that his daughter was in South Africa he tracked her and grabbed her baby knowing she would come to his house to look for the child. The woman was informed by her boyfriend that her child had been taken away by her father.
She went to her father’s house in fear and her worst fears came true when upon arrival the father allegedly grabbed her in front of the child and raped her again. When she returned to her place of residence, she phoned her uncle in Harare, who advised her to quickly come back to Zimbabwe.
The matter was reported to Waterfalls police and the woman was referred for medical examinations and given shelter at Musasa Project that deals with victims of rape. This year she was then later referred to Bulawayo Victim Friendly Unit Provincial headquarters after a friend notified her that her father was in Sizinda and this also led to his arrest.
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