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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO man habitually drugged his 17-year-old niece and raped her, a court heard.

Luckson Mangwiro (41) of Queens Park West suburb appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing rape charges.

He was remanded out of custody to August 31 on $100 bail. Mangwiro was ordered to reside at his given address and to report twice at Queens Park Police Station Station as part of the bail conditions.

Mangwiro is married to the complainant’s aunt and the girl used to stay with them.

Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said sometime in 2014 on three different occasions, Mangwiro allegedly offered his niece drinks which she consumed and immediately became weak and dizzy. He then allegedly raped the complainant.

The court heard that on an unspecified date and month in 2014, Mangwiro entered the kitchen where his niece was cooking on two different occasions and fondled her breasts.

During the same year, Mangwiro’s wife went to church and left the complainant and their children in the custody of the accused person.

Mangwiro offered his niece a drink and she drank it after which she felt dizzy and slept. The court heard that when she woke up a few hours later she felt pain on her private parts and there was also blood coming out.

“On the second occasion, the accused person arrived home at around 8PM and he asked the complainant to brew tea for him. He then asked her to collect a drink from his car, which he offered her,” said Mr Dlodlo.

Soon after drinking the liquid, the complainant felt dizzy and slept on the couch. She woke up the following morning and experienced pain on her private parts.

On the third occasion, Mangwiro arrived home at around 9PM and his niece gave him supper. The court heard that at around 11PM the accused person walked into his niece’s room and offered her a drink and she refused.

Mangwiro insisted and the girl ended up taking a few sips after which she felt dizzy and fell asleep.

When she woke up the following morning she felt pain on her private parts. She became suspicious and notified her aunt but she did not believe her story.

On August 16 last year, the victim visited her other aunt during school holidays and narrated her ordeal. The victim refused to return to the accused person’s house.

The court heard that on August 15 this year, her mother quizzed her on whether she was still a virgin or not and the victim revealed that she had been raped by her uncle. A report was made to the police, leading to the arrest of Mangwiro. — @mashnets.