adminAuxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
A 79-YEAR-OLD man who served half of a 20-year sentence for rape before being released under the Presidential amnesty early this year, is back in court facing charges of raping his niece.
The man who cannot be named to protect the identity of the eight-year-old victim, hails from Ngqoya Village Line in Tsholotsho.
He was among 2,000 prisoners who were pardoned earlier this year.
He allegedly molested the child while she was sleeping with her siblings in the sitting room.
The ex-convict appeared before Tsholotsho resident magistrate Abednico Ndebele facing rape charges.
He was not asked to plead.
Prosecuting, Sikhumbuzo Sibanda told the court that on Friday last week at around 8PM, the minor was sleeping with her siblings in the sitting room when her uncle got into the room.
“Upon his arrival, he removed his niece’s clothes and raped her once. She then screamed in pain alerting other members of the family leading to his arrest” said Sibanda.
The state opposed bail and he was ordered to apply to the Prosecutor General for consent or the High Court for bail.
He was remanded in custody to December 15.
Bongani Ndlovu