A 78-year-old man from Jekacheka village in Chipinge has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for raping his 14-year-old daughter.
The accused, who has not been named, will however serve 18 years effectively after the Chipinge Magistrates Court conditionally suspended two years.
The accused raped his daughter on several occasions, starting in December 2023. The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said:
Some time in December 2023 the accused person was alone at home with the complainant. After having their supper together in the kitchen the complainant cleared the dishes and retired to bed in the kitchen where she sleeps.
The accused person did not retire to his bedroom hut instead he got into the blankets beside the complainant and raped her.
When she screamed for help he closed her mouth with his hands and threatened to kill her if she told anyone.
The accused person raped the complainant on several occasions in December until she ran away from home and went to her sister’s home where she reported the matter.
The sister reported the matter to the police leading to the accused person’s arrest.
In another matter, a 24-year-old man from R. Chikundu village, Chief Marange, Odzi was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by a Mutare Magistrate on 19 February 2024 for raping his 18-year-old ex-wife.
During court proceedings, it emerged that on 18 September 2023 at around 3 PM, the accused person met the complainant along a footpath in R. Chikundu village.
He demanded that she hand over her mobile phone and she complied. As she walked away from him he dragged her into a nearby bush.
The accused threatened to kill the complainant before tying her to a tree and raping her. After the rape, he disappeared into the bush.
The matter was reported to the Police leading to the accused person’s arrest.