Man caught raping sister’s daughter (10)

A BULILIMA woman came across her 23-year-old younger brother while he was raping her 10-year-old daughter in the bush.

Before being caught the uncle who cannot be named for ethical reasons had raped the juvenile six other times and he had given her biscuits to stop her from reporting the matter.

The man appeared on initial remand before Plumtree magistrate Mr Taurai Manwere facing seven counts of rape. He was remanded in custody to tomorrow. Mr Manwere advised the man to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecuting, Mr Elisha Mazorodze said the man started raping his niece, a Grade Six pupil at Gotshombo Primary School, in August last year and the juvenile’s mother discovered the offence on 11 January.

The court heard through the prosecutor that on 11 January around 5pm the juvenile was on her way from school when she met her uncle at the shops. He lured the girl to come back and see him at his house by buying her biscuits and promised to give her more if she obliged.

It was the State’s case that he further threatened to beat up the girl if she didn’t come back. On arriving home the juvenile notified her mother that she wanted to collect some firewood but her mother told her to remain at home. The court heard that the juvenile went on to the bushes to collect some firewood without her mother’s consent.

Mr Mazorodze said the man met her nephew as she was on her way to collect firewood and he dragged her into the bush and raped her. He said the juvenile’s mother realised that her daughter had left without her consent and she followed her shoe prints into the bush.

The court was further told that the woman found her younger brother raping her daughter and when she tried to catch him he fled from the scene.

The woman then questioned her daughter who revealed that her uncle started raping her in August last year and gave her biscuits in return and also threatened to beat her up if she reported the matter.

She also revealed that whenever her uncle came to visit and sleep at their homestead he would bring her biscuits and rape her while her mother was asleep in another hut. Mr Mazorodze said the matter was reported to Maitengwe Border Police post resulting in the man’s arrest.