MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU- A 51-year-old Gweru man has been sentenced to 19 years in prison after being found guilty of raping and indecently assaulting his 12-year-old stepdaughter.
The man from Mkoba whose name has been withheld to protect the identity of the minor, was convicted on both counts following a full trial.
“The accused had betrayed the trust placed in him as a family member. He is therefore sentenced to 12 months in prison for indecent assault and 18 years for rape. He will serve an effective jail term of 19 years,” said Gweru Regional Magistrate Christopher Maturure while delivering the sentence.
He said the sentence is intended to serve as a deterrent to others who may consider committing such heinous crimes.
According to the state’s case, the incidents occurred between 2021 and 2024.
The court heard that in 2021, when the complainant was in grade seven, the accused told her that he loved her and that she was “good as his wife.”
He then proceeded to fondle her breasts and caress her buttocks, despite the complainant telling him that she did not like his actions.
The abuse escalated in April 2024, when the accused sent the complainant’s younger sister out of the room, then fondled the complainant’s breasts and touched her buttocks.
He then pushed her onto the bed, removed her clothing, and had unprotected sexual intercourse with her without her consent.
The court heard that the accused threatened the complainant, saying that if she disclosed the incident, she would be made a housemaid and forced to do all the chores alone.
As a result, the complainant kept the abuse to herself until January 2025, when she finally revealed the ordeal to her aunt.
The medical examination conducted on the complainant confirmed the sexual abuse.
