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Midlands Bureau Chief
A 32-year-old Silobela man has been sentenced to 60 years in jail for raping his 13 year- old step daughter on four occasions.

The man who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor, is from Cetshwayo Village under Chief Malisa.

He was convicted of four counts of rape by Gweru regional magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa.

Mrs Msipa sentenced the man to 15 years in jail for each count coming to a total of 60 years imprisonment.

The accused will however serve an effective 30 years in prison after the magistrate ordered the other 30 years to run concurrently with the first 30 years.

In passing sentence, Mrs Msipa said as a father, the man was supposed to protect his step-daughter instead of deflowering her.

“You took in the child as your child when she was two years old and when she was 13 years old instead of protecting her, you raped her several times against the principles of parenthood. Your crime is severe and calls for a long custodial sentence to deter would be offenders. You are sentenced to 15 years in jail for each count. The sentence for count one and two will run concurrently with count three and four giving an effective 30 years in prison,” she said.

It was the State case that in June last year, the accused person saw his step daughter talking to a certain boy along a path that leads to their homestead.

When the complainant arrived home, she was called by the accused who asked her if she had started having love affairs with boys.

The accused told the complainant that he was going to tell her mother about the issue and she will be chased away from home and become a street kid.

The court heard that the accused then took an okapi knife and put it in his pocket before demanding to have sexual intercourse with her.

He then raped her once.

In the same month he raped her again twice.

On the fourth time, the complainant’s mother left for the shops before returning unexpectedly and found her daughter being raped by her husband.

The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the step-father.

Mr Kelvin Guveya appeared for the State.