By Tendai Makaripe
Two Midlands courts have jailed a father and an older brother for raping children in separate cases involving girls aged 16 and 11.
The Zvishavane Magistrates’ Court sentenced a 53-year-old man to an effective 20 years in prison for repeatedly raping his 16-year-old daughter.
The abuse began in February after the man arrived home drunk and told the girl that he wanted her to become his wife, according to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA).
The NPA said the man later threatened his daughter with a knife before raping her.
He raped her several more times before a tip-off led to his arrest.
In a separate case, the Gokwe Magistrates’ Court sentenced a 19-year-old man to 15 years in prison for raping his 11-year-old sister.
“The assault occurred at about 8 p.m. on an unspecified date in May in the Chief Njelele area,” read part of a statement from the NPA.
“The man forced his way into the child’s bedroom while she slept alongside her younger brother.”
He entered her bed and raped her after gagging her when she screamed.
The girl attended school the following morning and disclosed the abuse to her sister after returning home.
Her sister immediately accompanied her to the police, leading to the man’s arrest.
The NPA said sexual abuse by people known to children remained common and urged communities to remain alert.
“The rape of children by people known to them is a common feature in most sexual assault cases,” the NPA said.
The authority called on communities to protect children from sexual predators.
Authorities withheld the children’s identities to protect their privacy.
