By Tendai Makaripe
KAROI, Zimbabwe — A Karoi court sentenced a 60-year-old Hurungwe man to 40 years in prison for raping his 14-year-old granddaughter, prosecutors said.
The case was one of two recent convictions involving girls abused by close relatives, underscoring the danger children can face in homes where they should be safe.
In a statement, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said the court convicted the man on two counts of rape.
Prosecutors said the girl’s family left her in her grandfather’s care while her grandmother was away.
“The man later lured the child into his bedroom under the pretext that he needed help, raped her and threatened to evict her from the homestead if she reported the abuse,” read the statement in part.
The court heard that: “The man raped the girl again about a month later, after following her to a garden where she had gone to fetch water and gather vegetables.”
The girl later told social welfare officers about the abuse, triggering investigations that led to the man’s arrest.
The NPAZ praised the girl for reporting the abuse and commended social welfare officers for acting to protect her.
The case also drew public reaction online. In a Facebook comment, Chinga Mzingwane welcomed the sentence.
“Predatory behaviour should always be discouraged. Well done, NPAZ,” Mzingwane said.
In a separate case, the Mutare Magistrates Court convicted a 31-year-old man of raping his 4-year-old daughter.
Prosecutors said the child, who lived with her maternal grandparents in a nearby village, visited her family on April 28 and found her father alone at home.
The man called the child into his bedroom, raped her and ordered her to return to her grandparents’ home, prosecutors said.
The child’s mother later noticed that the girl had difficulty walking and questioned her.
The court heard that the mother reported the case to police after learning what had happened, leading to the man’s arrest.
The Mutare court sentenced the man to 20 years in prison.
The court suspended three years for five years on condition of good behaviour, leaving him to serve an effective 17 years.
Children’s Voices does not identify children who experience sexual abuse. The publication also withholds details that could expose survivors to stigma, retaliation or further harm.
