adminMashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man who raped his 11-year-old orphaned granddaughter before threatening to shoot her with a pellet gun has been sentenced to 20 years in jail.
The grandfather, 62, of Pumula East suburb, whose identity we are withholding to protect his victim, was convicted of a rape charge by Bulawayo regional magistrate Trynos Utawashe on Wednesday.
He will serve an effective 16 years in jail after four years were suspended for five years on condition that he does not within that period commit a similar crime.
Utawashe, in his judgment, ruled that there was sufficient evidence linking the rapist to the crime committed in December last year.
In handing down sentence, Utawashe said the old man’s moral blameworthiness was very high.
“He stands convicted of a very serious charge of rape. He had the duty to protect the victim as his own child considering that he has been taking care of the girl since she was two years-old following the death of her parents.
“He owed the victim a duty to protect her from all forms of abuse, but he miserably failed by turning to be the abuser himself,” said Utawashe.
“His moral blameworthiness is very high and what he did cannot be condoned”.
The magistrate said it was the duty of the courts to protect child rape victims and women from sex offenders through long jail terms.
“Cases of child abuse are on the increase and it is the duty of the courts to protect children as members of society who fall under the most vulnerable category of all forms of abuse.
“Whenever a conduct such as the one exhibited in this case rears its ugly head, the punishment ought to be harsh. Sex offenders should be removed from society,” said Utawashe.
Prosecuting, Robin Mukura, said sometime during the month of December last year at about 7AM, the victim’s grandmother left the girl alone and went to the city centre for shopping.
The court heard that the old man later arrived home and found the girl watching television in the lounge.
He went to his bedroom and returned carrying a knife and a pellet gun.
He ordered the girl to remove her clothes amid threats to shoot her with the pellet gun if she resisted.
“Out of fear, the victim complied and he raped her after which he again threatened to shoot her with the pellet gun if she reported the matter to anyone,” said Mukura.
When the girl’s grandmother returned from town, the victim narrated her ordeal. A police report was made leading to his arrest.
The victim was taken to hospital where a medical report proved that she had been raped.
Online Reporter