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MANZINI- A 12-year-old Grade V pupil will have to live with the agony of allegedly being repeatedly raped by her stepfather in the presence of her other siblings.

*Nompilo was allegedly raped by her stepfather, *Jumbo (37) of Sidvokodvo since November 2021 to January 2022. The incidents are said to have taken place at their home at Sidvokodvo.

It was submitted that Jumbo previously had an argument with his wife, Nompilo’s mother, whereupon he scalded her with water. This was after he suspected her of having an affair with his brother.

During their conflict, the stepfather was said to have gone to the children’s room. It was then that he allegedly slept with his stepchild in the presence of his own children. It was also discovered that the stepfather allegedly slept with his stepchild while he was drunk.

The accused appeared before Acting Manzini Principal Magistrate Sindisiwe Zwane on Tuesday.

During the trial, the minor girl revealed that she stayed with her biological mother, siblings and stepfather. She alleged that she was sleeping in a rondavel with her siblings when her stepfather entered and allegedly raped her. She said she cried and her siblings heard her. Another of Nompilo’s siblings was paraded as witnesses and narrated the story just as her sibling Nompilo had.

Counts

Jumbo was charged with three counts under the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act. In the first count, he was charged for allegedly forcing Nompilo into sexual intercourse. According to the charge sheet, Jumbo had been allegedly forcing Nompilo to have sexual intercourse with him without using protection. The rape was accompanied by aggravating circumstances such as that the accused did not use protection, putting the survivor at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS, according to the charge sheet.

Further, it was highlighted that the accused person inflicted life-lasting trauma upon the survivor. It was also cited that he was a relative (stepfather) to the survivor, and broke the element of trust.

Meanwhile, the accused was also charged under the SODV Act for allegedly forcing Nompilo to have sex with him in the presence of other children inside a house in count two.

In the last count, the accused allegedly physically abused his wife by scalding her with hot water all over her body.

The matter is still ongoing in court.

*Not real name to protect minor.