Daughter rapist gets 30 yrs in jail
A 50-YEAR-OLD divorcee from Masvingo has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping his daughter (15).
The man, from Gwanyanya Village under Chief Mapanzure, pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape when he appeared before Masvingo regional magistrate Mr Colet Ncube yesterday.
Mr Ncube, however, convicted him due to overwhelming evidence and sentenced him to 15 years for each count.
He, however, suspended five years for five years on condition he does not commit a similar offence within the period.
Mr Ncube deplored the man’s behaviour saying he betrayed the trust that his children had in him by raping an innocent girl who looked up to him for protection.
“You are a disgrace to your family and even society. You deserve a deterrent sentence.
“I wonder how you can justify raping your own daughter, your own blood. This girl looked up to you for guidance and security but you betrayed your children’s trust,” said Mr Ncube.
In mitigation the accused said the rape case was fabricated by his ex-wife because there is bad blood between the two.
“My worship, I did not rape my daughter but the matter was fabricated by my wife who is still bitter over our divorce. There is now bad blood between the two of us. She wants me to rot in jail so that she can assume custody of our children,” said the accused.
For the Sate, Mr Tavonga Musina said the divorced man who lived with his three children raped the girl twice.
“Sometime in May the man first raped her in his car. On the second count on May 11 the accused raped the accused in his bedroom,” said Mr Musina.
The court heard that the matter came to light when the girl went to visit her mother at Nemamwa Growth Point where she narrated what she had gone through at the hands of her father on the following day.
The mother called the girl’s two brothers and they confirmed the two incidents.
She made a formal report to the police leading to the man’s arrest.— @walterbmswazie2