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Emily Mbewe Court Reporter
A MINOR was allegedly raped by her stepfather for seven years and later hired out as prostitute by a 75-year-old woman who adopted her after she escaped from home following her mother’s death, a court heard yesterday.The girl who is now aged 13, ran away from the custody of her stepfather soon after her mother’s death in 2013, only to fall into worse trouble.

The 75-year-old woman and three men yesterday appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Sibongiseni Msipa-Marondedze charged with rape while another man was charged with extortion for demanding payment from one of the men who had sex with the girl.

Agnes Zimusa, 75, the minor’s stepfather Trust Biasi, 31, and two other men who sexually abused the minor Darbey Cecil, 30 and Bempa Tshabalala, 36 as well as Derrick Dlodlo who demanded payment from Cecil for having sex with the complainant, were not asked to plead and were remanded in custody to May, 11.

The state’s case as presented by Nkathazo Dlodlo is that between January 2006 and April 2013 Biasi, the stepfather raped the complainant on different occasions.

The court heard that he would wait for the girl’s mother to leave home before pouncing on her.

Dlodlo said Biasi threatened to harm the girl if she dared report the rape to anyone.

“After the victim’s mother passed away in 2013, she ran away from home and Zimusa took care of her,” said Dlodlo.

When the minor’s mother died Zimusa “adopted” her and later allegedly ordered the girl to have sexual intercourse with Cecil on several occasions.

“After Cecil had sexual intercourse with the complainant, (Derrick) Dlodlo went to collect $100 and a bicycle as payment for the services,” said Dlodlo.

The prosecutor said the man, who is now being charged with extortion threatened to report the matter to the police if Cecil did not give him the money.

The court heard that from January to April this year, Tshabalala also had sexual intercourse with the girl on several occasions.

“The complainant told Zimusa that Tshabalala was sexually abusing her but she never took action,” said Dlodlo.

The minor later reported the matter to the police leading to accused persons’ arrest.