MARTIN MAWAYA
Gweru — In a disturbing case of familial abuse, a Chiwundura man has been sentenced to an effective 18 years in prison for raping his 16-year-old stepdaughter.
The 51-year-old man, whose name has been withheld to protect the victim’s identity, was convicted after a full trial at the Gweru Regional Magistrate’s Court.
Presiding magistrate Christopher Maturure handed down the sentence, underscoring the gravity of the crime.
The state, led by Monica Mungwena, recounted the horrific incident that occurred on March 13, 2025, around 9 pm in Kurima-Kwakanaka Village under Chief Gambiza, Chiwundura, Gweru District.
Mungwena told the court that the accused returned home from a drinking spree at Maguma business center and got into a heated argument with his wife, the complainant’s mother.
“The accused’s wife managed to escape, leaving the complainant and her grandmother behind,” Mungwena said during the trial.
The court heard that the complainant went to her aunt’s home to inform her about the scuffle.
On their way back to the accused’s homestead, the complainant and her aunt encountered him, armed with a log, and he began to chase his stepdaughter.
The court heard that the complainant attempted to flee, but the accused caught up with her, grabbed her hand, and claimed he wanted her to accompany him to the police station to testify about the assault on her mother.
However, after crossing the Kwekwe River, the accused presented his stepdaughter with a chilling choice: “death or rape.”
The court heard that the complainant refused both options, but the accused forcibly pushed her to the ground and raped her once.
In it’s submission, the state argued that the accused acted unlawfully and should be punished with a custodial sentence.
