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Appearing before Masvingo magistrate, Mr Oliver Mudzongachiso on Tuesday, the man pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecent assault, but was convicted after a full trial.
He was fined $100, failing which he would serve 30 days in prison.
The court gave him up to tomorrow to pay the fine.
In passing sentence, Mr Mudzongachiso said: “The court has considered that you abused your brother’s trust through your actions and you deserve deterrent sentence. You were supposed to respect the minor because she is also your daughter who looked up to you for protection. She respected you as her father but you chose to abuse her. A normal father cannot be sexually attracted to his daughter.”
For the State, Mr Tafirei Tandirai told the court that on 10 November at around 7pm, the accused and his unnamed brother were at the complainant’s homestead in the same village where they found her sitting in the lounge with her younger brother.
The court heard that the accused asked the complainant’s brother to follow him to his homestead, which is a stone’s throw away and he followed.
After a while, the accused came back alone and called the girl outside the house, the court was told.
When the girl complied and was within an arm’s length, the accused grabbed her hands and pulled her closer to him before fondling her breasts and buttocks using his fingers, the court heard.
The court heard that the accused continued caressing the girl until she screamed after realising that he was not stopping and he left her.
The girl then rushed to her grandmother and reported the abuse.
A report was made to the police leading to the accused’s arrest.
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter