Rapist dad caged 18 years

A STONE-HEARTED Chipinge man who raped his biological daughter on several occasions was last week jailed 18 years for the crime.

The man from Bonyongwe Village under Chief Mapungwana’s area was convicted on his own guilty plea when he appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Mr Franklyn Mkwananzi, for repeatedly raping his 12-yearold daughter who was in Grade Four.

Prosecuting, Mr Timothy Katsande said the man committed the offence between February 1, 2023 and January 2024.

Mr Katsande said in the first incident, the man raped the girl in the bush after she had gone to fetch firewood with her brother.

“As they were fetching firewood, the girl’s brother went a bit further in search of more firewood, leaving her behind. The man pounced on the girl and raped her once. He was disturbed by voices of passers-by and stopped raping the girl,” said Mr Katsande.

After the rape, the girl rushed home and narrated the ordeal to her mother, but no action was taken.

The court heard that on an unknown date, but in 2023, the accused took advantage of the absence of the complainant’s mother, dragged her into his bedroom and raped her.

After that, he continued raping the minor on different occasions.

The heinous crime came to light when the father raped the girl on January 27.

The girl reported the issue to her mother and she made a police report, leading to the man’s arrest.

The complainant was taken to Mt Selinda Mission Hospital for medical examinations.

The medical report confirmed that the girl had been sexually abused.