Story by Fungai Jachi, Courts Reporter
A 28-year-old man from Ushewokunze in Harare has appeared in court facing three counts of rape for allegedly abusing his nine-year-old stepdaughter.
In a suspected case of child sexual exploitation, the man is alleged to have raped his stepdaughter before threatening to disown her if she disclosed the matter.
It is alleged that the accused sexually abused the young girl on several occasions after being left to take care of her in the absence of the nine-year-old’s mother.
The complainant eventually opened up to her mother about the abuse, leading to the arrest of the accused.
Meanwhile, in another case, another nine-year-old girl from Dzivarasekwa fell victim to her father’s younger brother who sexually abused her.
The court heard that the 23-year-old uncle sneaked into the girl’s bedroom where he raped her once.
The accused have been remanded in custody and advised to approach the High Court for bail.
Under the new legislation, a rapist can be jailed for up to 15 years, but a convicted sexual offender can also be imprisoned for life if the victim is a child or if the sexual offence was committed under aggravating circumstances.
