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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
A 48-YEAR-OLD Filabusi man has been jailed for 20 years for raping his 11-year-old niece after claiming to be in love with her.

The man who pleaded not guilty, was however, convicted by Gwanda regional magistrate, Mrs Sibonginkosi Mkandla due to overwhelming evidence.

He was sentenced to an effective 20 years in jail.

Prosecuting, Mr Khumbulani Nyoni said the man raped his niece on November 26 last year after he met her on her way home from school.

“On 26 November 2019 at around 3PM the complainant and her three friends were on their way home from school when they met the accused person. He approached the four pupils while holding a whip and accused them of playing around instead of going straight home. The accused person grabbed the complainant’s hand and threatened to assault the other pupils who then fled, ” he said.

The accused person then told the complainant that he had loved her for a very long time and wanted to have sex with her.

The complainant refused and the accused person threatened to assault her with the whip.

Mr Nyoni said the accused person dragged the complainant into a nearby bush and raped her.

After committing the crime, he threatened to assault her if she dared report the sexual assault.

When the complainant arrived home, her mother asked her why she had arrived home late and she reported the rape.

The matter was reported to the police leading to the accused’s arrest. — @DubeMatutu