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Wynne Zanamwe, Midlands Reporter
A 29-YEAR-OLD Gweru man on Friday appeared in court for allegedly raping his landlord’s 11-year-old daughter and infecting her with a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

The accused, who resides in Woodlands suburb and cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, appeared before Gweru Magistrate Ms Judith Taruvinga facing two counts of rape.

He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to January 4.

Prosecuting, Ms Senzeni Maphosa told the court that the accused person was a tenant at the complainant’s house.

“On count one, on November 13 last year the complainant’s mother left her with her younger brother and the accused person.

“While the complainant’s younger brother was playing outside, the accused person who was taking a bath asked the complainant to give him a bathing (pumice) stone,” she narrated.

“The complainant shoved the stone under the door and the accused person quickly opened the door and pulled the complainant inside the bathroom.

“The accused person then pushed the complainant on to the floor and undressed her. He raped her once and after he was finished he told the complainant that if she told anyone what had happened he would kill her.”

The court heard that on count two, in the same month, the complainant was alone with the accused whilst her mother had gone to town.

“The accused person was cooking outside the house and he asked the complainant to fetch some salt from his room. When the complainant had gone into the accused person’s room, he followed her and when she tried to get out of the room he threatened to beat her up.

“The accused person undressed the complainant and raped her once. He threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the matter,” said Ms Maphosa.

The court heard that the accused never told anyone about the matter and the issue only came to light when the complainant had visited her grandmother in Mberengwa.

It is understood that the complainant fell ill and was taken to the hospital where she was told that she was suffering from a STD.

“The complainant revealed what the accused person did to her later on after she had been interrogated by her grandmother.

“The complainant was medically examined at Mberengwa Hospital and a medical report was compiled,” said Ms Maphosa.

@wynnezane.