Man rapes, impregnates teen step sister

Midlands Bureau Chief

A 26-year-old man from Plot 2 Hillside in Gweru has been sentenced to four years in prison for raping and impregnating his 13-year- old step sister.

The girl who is said to have been in Grade Six dropped out of school and has since given birth.

Appearing before Gweru Provincial Magistrate, Ms Beaulity Dube recently, facing one count of rape, the accused, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor, was convicted on his own plea of guilty.

In mitigation, he said he was in a sexual relationship with his step sister until she fell pregnant.

Ms Dube said the accused will serve three effective years after she suspended one year of his sentence on condition of good behaviour. Prosecutor, Mr Brandon Ndlovu, told the court that sometime last year, the accused started having a sexual relationship with his 13-year-old step sister behind their parents’ back until she became pregnant and delivered a baby.

Mr Ndlovu said the family did not want to report the matter when it came to the fore as the accused’s father did not want his son who he came with in the marriage to be prosecuted.

The court heard that the accused’s father threatened to walk out of the marriage with the complainant’s mother if the matter was reported.

“The woman, who wanted to save her marriage, agreed not to report the matter and also attempted to withdraw the case when the police finally heard the issue following an outcry by the public,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu said the public threatened to report the issue if the family did not make a police report.

He told the court that the accused should be imprisoned as this was a serious offence.

“It should be a lesson to the community that such offences will result in incarceration and imprisonment,” said Mr Ndlovu, adding that the accused had exposed the minor to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.

“She is 13 and supposed to play with other kids but now, she is a mother. It was your duty to protect her because she was your sister,” he said.