State Media

A FOUR-year-old boy has nailed his 40-year-old father who raped his six- year- old daughter resulting in the magistrate jailing the rapist for 18 years.

The man who lives under Chief Mafala’s area in Zvishavane had said his son who was a witness in the matter would vouch for him.

He was accusing his wife and daughter of framing him.

The man was stunned as the boy narrated in court how her sister had told her mother how her father had raped her while the woman was away.

This was heard during the appearance of the father whose name withheld to protect the identity of the minor before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa.

The father pleaded not guilty to one count of rape but was convicted.

Mrs Msipa sentenced him to 18 -years in prison before suspending three years on condition of good behavior.

It was the State case’s that between December 2019 and January 2020, the complainant and her young brother aged four years were left in the custody of their father as their mother visited.

The accused person called his daughter to his bedroom and told her to sleep on a reeds mate.

He undressed and raped her once.

The court heard that after raping her daughter, the man slept beside her and asked her not to tell anyone about the matter.

The court heard that the complainant told her mother how her father had raped her in her absence.

A police report was made leading to the arrest of the accused person.

Sometime in January, the man is said to have approached his wife accusing her of influencing their daughter to make a rape case against him.

Mr Kevin Guveya appeared for the State.