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Tanaka Mrewa Court Reporter
A MAN from Mpopoma suburb in Bulawayo has been sentenced to 17 years in jail for raping his stepdaughter. The stepfather (43) raped the girl (17) while her mother was away in South Africa and offered her $1 to buy her silence. Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Chrispen Mberewere sentenced the man to 17 years in jail. He suspended three years for five years on condition of good behaviour.

In passing sentence, Mr Mberewere said the courts are there to protect the girl child from sex predators. “The girl child is constantly in danger of being abused especially by people who are rightfully supposed to be looking after them. This court is there to make sure that such people are taken away from society,” he said.

Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa told the court that the man went into his step-daughter’s bedroom while she was asleep, locked the door and crept into her bed. “Complainant was awakened by the accused’s movement in her bed. He covered her mouth with his hand, removed her panties and raped her. After the offence he gave her a dollar and told her not to divulge the attack to anyone,” said Mr Manyiwa.

The complainant’s mother became suspicious when her daughter’s performance at school deteriorated. She questioned her and she revealed that she was stressed following the rape by her stepfather.-@tannytkay