Zimbabwe News Online: Bulawayo man dragged to court for sleeping with step-daughter and her mum

Bulawayo man dragged to court for sleeping with step-daughter and her mum
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chronicle on 13/04/2017 12:07:00

A Bulawayo bus driver who allegedly raped and impregnated his step daughter (13)
before trying to assist her terminate the pregnancy appeared in court yesterday.

The 37-year-old man from Cowdray Park suburb who cannot be named to protect the
identity of the victim, appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mrs
Sibongile Marondedze facing rape charges. He was remanded in custody to April 28
for trial.
Prosecuting, Ms Caroline Matanga said between January and March this year, the
man took advantage of his wife’s absence and raped his step daughter on three
different occasions.
The court heard that sometime in January on an unknown date at around 8AM, the
complainant was left home with her younger brothers by their mother who had gone
to buy farm produce for resale.
The accused person who was sleeping in his bedroom allegedly called the girl on
the pretext that he wanted to send her somewhere.
“When the complainant went to the accused person’s bedroom, the man – who
was wearing a pair of jogger shorts – locked the door and pushed the girl to
the bed,” said Ms Matanga.
The girl tried to resist but the accused person allegedly overpowered her and
went on to rape her. After raping the girl, the accused person allegedly ordered
her to leave his room. He also threatened to assault her if she reported the
matter to anyone.
In February this year, the complainant’s mother left her daughter in the
custody of the accused person to attend a funeral service in the rural areas.
The court heard that later in the evening, the man invited the complainant to
come and sleep with her siblings on the floor in the bedroom. During the night,
the accused person allegedly woke up from his bed and raped his step daughter
while the other children were fast asleep.
During the month of March while his wife was at her vending stall, the accused
person also allegedly invited the complainant to his bedroom. He allegedly
forced the girl to lie on the bed and when she tried to scream, he threatened to
assault the complainant before raping her.
On realising that she was pregnant, the complainant allegedly informed her step
father who promised to buy her abortion pills.
The complainant’s mother became suspicious after her daughter told her that
she had missed her monthly period. On quizzing the complainant, she revealed
that she had been raped by her step father. A report was made to the police
leading to the accused person’s arrest.
Source-Chronicle