Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
A 58-YEAR-OLD Kezi man has been jailed 15 years for raping his neighbour’s 15-year-old daughter on several occasions after luring her with goodies.
Bernard Khumalo from Mpumulo Village in Sun Yet Sen pleaded not guilty to rape when he appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Sithembiso Ndebele but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence.
Prosecuting, Ngonidzashe Shumba said Khumalo would rape the complainant and give her goodies in order to buy her silence. He said Khumalo told the complainant that he was in love with her.
“On a date unknown but during the month of February the accused person invited the complainant over to his house and offered her some chips and yoghurt. On the following day the accused person called the complainant to his home again and promised to give her some goodies.
“Upon arrival the accused person led the complainant to his bedroom. He locked the door and grabbed the complainant before forcibly removing her clothes. The accused person went on to rape the complainant and gave her some chips and sweets in order to buy her silence,” he said.
Shumba said during the same month, Khumalo called the complainant to his house on several occasions while he was alone and raped the complainant and he would give her sweets and chips in order buy her silence. He also threatened to assault her if she revealed the matter to anyone.
He said the matter came to light when Khumalo’s housemate found the complainant in his bedroom and revealed the matter to the complainant’s mother.
The complainant questioned her daughter who revealed that Khumalo had raped her on several occasions. The matter was reported to the police resulting in his arrest.
In his defence, Khumalo denied having raped the complainant and accused his housemate and the complainant’s mother of conniving to tarnish his image.
“Your Worship, the complainant was indeed in my home but I didn’t rape her. I had sent her on an errand and after she was done I called her into my house to collect some goodies as a reward to thank her for assisting me.
“I didn’t touch her or even think about violating her sexually as I view her as my own daughter. My housemate and the complainant’s mother are just framing me and I don’t even know what wrong I have done for them to treat me like this,” said Khumalo.
