adminEmily Mbewe Court Reporter
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD toddler was allegedly raped by her 17-year-old uncle after her parents had gone to relieve themselves in a nearby bush. The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, threatened the girl not to divulge the rape to anyone.
The teenager was not asked to plead when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze and was remanded out of custody on free bail.
Prosecuting, Dumisani Ndlovu said on May 20 at around 6PM, the girl’s parents left her under the care of her uncle when they went to relieve themselves in a nearby bush.
Ndlovu said the parents left the two sitting in the dining room before the accused took advantage of his niece.
“He removed the victim’s pair of panties and raped her once,” said Ndlovu.
The court heard that the teenager threatened the victim not to tell anyone about the incident saying that her mother would assault her.
“The next day the girl’s mother was helping her take a bath and realised that she flinched when she touched her private parts,” said the prosecutor.
He said the woman questioned the girl but she did not reveal the incident.
“Her mother kept on monitoring her until she noticed that she had difficulties in walking,” said Ndlovu.
The four-year-old later told her mother that she had vaginal pains and her mother examined her and noticed bruises and blood on her.
When the woman questioned the victim, the court heard, she told her that she had been injured.
“The mother picked a shoe threatening to assault her. She then narrated her ordeal,” said Ndlovu.
The matter was reported at Sauerstown Police Station leading to the teenager’s arrest.
Online Reporter