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Codelia Mondela, Court Reporter
A MAN from Queens Park West suburb in Bulawayo allegedly drugged his 17-year-old niece and raped her on three occasions.

The 47-year-old man who is a husband to the juvenile’s aunt fondled the minor’s breasts and gave her unsealed drinks which made her dizzy.

She fell into a deep sleep and he allegedly raped her.

A court heard that after the first rape in 2014 when she woke up her clothes had been changed and he had left.

The man allegedly raped her again twice the same year using the same tactic of offering her an intoxicating drink which made her dizzy and sleepy.

The man is facing three counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault.

On Friday he pleaded not guilty before regional magistrate Mrs Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze.

Mrs Marondedze remanded him in custody to tomorrow for continuation of trial.

In a statement the minor said her uncle wanted to make her his second wife. She said she told her aunt and church members who had assembled at her home about the forced sex, but they did not believe her.

Prosecuting, Miss Concilia Ncube said the man fondled her breasts twice in 2014 when she was preparing food in the kitchen. She said the man gave her an unsealed drink. She slept after feeling dizzy and her uncle raped her.

@MondelaC