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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
A 62-YEAR-OLD Esigodini man has been arrested for allegedly raping his 16-year-old step granddaughter several times and impregnating her.
The man from Shale Village who cannot be named for ethical reasons would threaten to whip the complainant in order to force her to have sexual intercourse with him after she had been left under his custody by her mother.
He was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a rape charge last week. He was remanded in custody to tomorrow.
Prosecuting, Miss Ethel Mahachi said the accused person first raped the complainant on 2 February after she was left under his care by her mother.
“On 2 February the complainant’s mother travelled and left her daughter with the accused person. On the same day at around 1pm the accused person called the complainant into his bedroom hut to sweep and she complied. While she was sweeping the accused person told her that she was now old enough to make love. He grabbed her and started fondling her breasts but the complainant refused,” she said.
Miss Mahachi said the accused person then produced a whip and ordered the complainant to undress and he threatened to whip her if she refused. She said the accused person raped the complainant and warned her against reporting the matter to anyone.
She said the accused person raped the complainant on several other occasions in February and March while her mother was away and she remained quiet about the matter. She said he would threaten to whip her if she did not comply and if she reported the matter to anyone.
Miss Mahachi said the matter came to light in July after the complainant’s mother suspected that her daughter was pregnant. The complainant’s mother questioned her daughter who went on to reveal that her step grandfather had raped her on several occasions. The matter was reported to the police resulting in the arrest of the accused person.
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