adminShamiso Dzingire Court Reporter
A 23-YEAR-OLD Insuza man allegedly raped his 12-year-old niece twice, a Bulawayo magistrate heard yesterday. The man, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of the victim, appeared before Magistrate Charity Maphosa facing two counts of rape. The victim’s father is the suspected rapist’s elder brother. Maphosa remanded the man in custody to July 1.
Prosecuting, Dumisani Ndlovu said on the May 29, 2015 at around 7 PM, the complainant and her younger sister were sent by their grandmother to their aunt’s homestead.
The complainant and her sister played at their aunt’s until late so their grandmother went to look for them.
“The two proceeded home and used a different route so their grandmother didn’t find them,” said Ndlovu.
The court heard that upon arrival home, the man directed the girl and her younger sister to his bedroom hut. He allegedly told them to hide there as their grandmother wanted to “discipline them.”
“When the complainant’s grandmother returned home, the accused went out of the hut and told her that the children were sleeping at their aunt’s homestead. She believed him and went to sleep,” Ndlovu said.
He told the court that the accused went into his bedroom and shared a bed with the complainant and her younger sister.
“The accused slept next to the complainant before raping her once. He threatened to assault her if she told her grandmother,” said Ndlovu. Later during the same night, the court heard, the accused person woke the complainant and raped her again.
The matter came to light the on the following day when the grandmother inquired about where they spent the night and the complainant revealed what had transpired.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to the man’s arrest.
Online Reporter