Chronicle Editor
Lesley Chikudo, [email protected]
A 43-Year-OLD Bulawayo man from Nkulumane suburb has been sentenced to an effective 15 years in jail for raping his daughter over a period spanning five years, from the time she was 10 years old.
Western Commonage magistrate, Mrs Sibongile Marondedze meted out the lengthy sentence.
In mitigation, the man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, said the story his daughter had told the courts had been fabricated after he had punished her when he found out that she had a boyfriend.
“… the only thing I did is that I only assaulted her once when I found out that she has a boyfriend and she is being mischievous not concentrating on her studies,” said the man.
Mrs Marondeze in passing the sentence said the court took into consideration that the offender is the biological father to the victim, who looked up to him for protection.
“As the biological father it was his duty to protect his daughter, instead he took advantage of the authority he had as a father,” she said.
“He is a danger to the community and himself, due to his predatory behaviour there is a need for deterrence to avoid future offenders of the same crime, as there is a need to protect the girl child as such, the offender is sentenced to an effective 15 years,” said Mrs Marondedze.
According to the State’s case as presented by Ms Christine Manyika the man raped his daughter from 2018 to October 2023.
“He would find the victim alone at home and sexually assault her several times without consent and protection,” she said.
The court heard that the matter came to light when the victim visited her aunt who resides in Esigodini and noticed the change of behaviour of the victim.
It was stated that she was only 10 years old when he started abusing her.
“He started sexually assaulting me when I was in grade 5 and I was 10 years, I cannot remember the exact details of what happened as I was still a child. The abuse went on up to October last year. That’s when I realized that what was happening was wrong all along. I thought it was fatherly love,” she said.
Online Reporter