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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent 

AN 18-year-old from Gwanda has been arrested for allegedly raping his nine-year-old cousin on several occasions while he was staying with her family.

The accused person from Enyandeni Village, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, was not asked to plead when he briefly appeared before Gwanda Magistrate, Mr Frenklin Mkwananzi facing a rape charge. 

He was remanded in custody to December 9.

Prosecuting, Ms Faith Mutukwa said the offence came to light on November 20 this year after the complainant revealed the matter to her mother.

“Sometime in August the accused went to the complainant’s bedroom while they were alone in the house, entered into her blankets and raped her. He raped her on several other occasions during the same month and warned her against reporting.

“The matter came to light on November 20 this year when the complainant’s mother found the accused person in her daughter’s blankets while the complainant was sleeping next to him. She questioned the accused on what he was doing and the complainant revealed that he had raped her in August,” she said.

In another incident a 26-year-old man from Esigodini has been arrested for allegedly raping his six-year-old maternal niece while he was staying with her.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, was not asked to plead when he appeared briefly before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda facing a rape charge. He was remanded in custody to December 12.

Prosecuting, Ms Mutukwa said the man raped his niece who is an ECD B pupil at Mpofini Primary School in August and the offence came to light in September.

“During the month of August, the complainant arrived home from school in the afternoon where she was staying with her uncle and found the accused person at home alone. The accused person called the complainant into his bedroom and she complied.

“He ordered her to lie on the bed and raped her once and threatened to assault her if she revealed the matter. During the month of September, the complainant’s father collected her from her uncle’s homestead and took her home,” she said.

Ms Mutukwa said the complainant’s grandmother noticed that her granddaughter had scabies all over her body.

She informed the complainant’s father and they questioned the girl who revealed that her uncle had raped her. The matter was reported to the police resulting in the arrest of the accused person. — @DubeMatutu