adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
A 39-YEAR-OLD Matobo man yesterday admitted to having sexual intercourse with his 17-year-old stepdaughter whom he allegedly impregnated.The man appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate Joseph Mabeza charged with rape.
“Your Worship, my daughter came to my bedroom and I asked to have sexual intercourse with her and she agreed. What I don’t admit is that I raped her. I only realised that I had committed an offence when it was too late. What I did was wrong,” he said
The suspected rapist said he was a member of a Zionist church and kept responding “Amen, amen” when answering questions in place of “yes”.
He however, said it was difficult for him to admit being the father of his stepdaughter’s baby because according to him she had several boyfriends. The girl insisted her stepfather was responsible for the pregnancy.
The girl’s mother, who does not have any children with the accused person, broke down in court as she took to the witness stand and pleaded with the magistrate to release her husband. She made her plea after learning that her husband was facing a jail term of not less than 15 years for allegedly raping his stepdaughter.
“Your Worship, I am pleading with you not to send my husband to jail because I don’t have the capacity to look after his child,” she said.
Regional prosecutor Johannes Tlou told how on several occasions the accused forcefully had sexual intercourse with his stepdaughter who was left in his custody while her mother was away until she fell pregnant. The accused reportedly threatened to assault the complainant if she dared reveal the rape to anyone.
However, the girl’s mother reported the matter to the police after her daughter told her what had happened when questioned about the pregnancy.
The accused was remanded in custody to today.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter