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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent 

A 62-YEAR-OLD Gwanda man has appeared in court for allegedly raping his nine-year-old granddaughter on several occasions while she had been left in his custody.

The man from Mlowizi Village who cannot be named for ethical reasons was not asked to plead when he appeared briefly before Gwanda Provincial Magistrate, Mr Lungile Ncube facing a rape charge. He was remanded in custody to July 22.

Prosecuting, Mr Silent Shoko said the accused person raped his granddaughter on several occasions starting from last year.

“The accused person unlawfully had sexual intercourse with the complainant several times sometime in 2018 and 2019 during the absence of the complainant’s grandmother and two siblings. The matter came to light when the complainant revealed to her grandmother what the accused person had done to her resulting in his arrest,” he said.

In another incident a 16-year-old minor has been cautioned and discharged for raping his two cousins aged eight years on several occasions while they were on their way from school.

The teenager who cannot be named for ethical reasons raped his cousin sisters last year while he was a Grade Seven pupil at Mandihongola Primary School in Gwanda and they were Grade Two pupils at the same school.

He was convicted on his own plea of guilty to two counts of rape by Gwanda regional magistrate, Mr Mark Dzira. 

Mr Dzira cautioned and discharged the teenager.

Prosecuting, Mr Mncedisi Dube said the teenager raped the complainants last year between January and September.

“On a date unknown to the prosecutor during the period extending from January to September 2018 the accused person met the two complainants on their way from school. He dragged them to a nearby mountain and threatened to beat them up if they didn’t comply.

“The teenager grabbed the first complainant and ordered her to lie down on the ground while he instructed the other to sit still and wait. He raped the first complainant while the other watched and he went on to rape the other. After he had committed the offence the juvenile ordered his two cousin sisters to remain quiet about the incident and ordered them to go home. The accused person repeated this on several other occasions when the two children were on their way from school,” he said.

Mr Dube said the matter came to light in September last year when the complainants’ grandfather noticed that the children were coming late from school. He interviewed them and they revealed what their cousin brother had been doing to them.

Mr Dube said the matter was reported to the police resulting in the teenager’s arrest. — @DubeMatutu.