Online Reporter
B-Metro Reporter
A 49-YEAR-OLD man from Chirumhanzu will spend the next 20 years behind bars after the Gweru Regional Magistrates’ Court convicted him of rape and aggravated indecent assault involving minors related to him.
The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said the man’s crimes showed how sexual predators often hide in plain sight, abusing trust within families and communities.
In one case, the man raped his 17-year-old stepdaughter while she was sweeping. “He fondled her breast, pushed her to the bed and overpowered her. The offender raped the victim and threatened to kill her if she disclosed the matter,” the NPAZ said.
The offender also targeted a 13-year-old girl, waking her at night under the pretext of disciplining her for bedwetting before assaulting her. He inserted his fingers into her privates. When she confided in her 11-year-old half-sister, they discovered they were both victims.
The matter only came to light after a police tip-off led to interviews with the victims. The man was convicted on all counts and sentenced to an effective 20 years in prison.
Condemning the nauseating sex attacks, the NPAZ said: “The raping of juveniles by close relatives is becoming a worrying trend as these are people trusted by the children. Communities are urged to be on the lookout and put measures in place to protect our children.”
derick.khumalo