A MAKWE man who raped his 13-year-old granddaughter was handed an effective 20-year jail term by the Gwanda regional magistrate Joseph Mabeza.
PERPETUAL PHIRI OWN CORRESPONDENT
Josphat Moyo (46) of Makwe area in Gwanda had pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape when he appeared in court yesterday.
Moyo was sentenced to 10 years for count one, 10 years for count two and 10 years for counts three and four, but 10 years were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
Prosecutor Johannes Tlou told the court that Moyo raped his granddaughter on different occasions, but she did not report the matter as he had threatened her.
On an unknown date, but during the month of October 2013, the girl was left in the company of Moyo by her grandmother.
The girl went to the bedroom hut to fetch some mealie-meal and found Moyo inside. Moyo proposed love to the girl, but she did not respond.
Moyo then allegedly grabbed and pulled her onto a blanket on the floor and raped her once before threatening to assault her and flee to South Africa if she reported the matter to anyone.
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Moyo again allegedly raped the girl when she was looking for firewood on two more occasions.
Moyo raped the girl for the fourth time when they had gone to Sibizini River in Colleen Bawn for fishing.
The girl’s grandmother left Moyo and the girl at the tent they had pitched and he raped her.
The matter came to light in January when the girl visited her mother in West Nicholson.
Her mother quizzed her after becoming suspicious and she narrated her ordeal.
A report was made to the police and Moyo was arrested.
Moyo told the court that he and his granddaughter were lovers, but Mabeza would have none of it.
“Rape attracts a custodial sentence. The complainant is your granddaughter, but you took advantage of her innocence, broke her trust and abused her sexually by raping her on several occasions,” Mabeza said.
