A 42-year-old man from Rutenga growth point in Masvingo has appeared in court for allegedly raping his 18-year-old daughter 12 times on separate occasions.
The accused, who cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity, has been granted $100 bail.
Earlier, the State, led by prosecutor Frank Chirairo, had opposed bail, saying the accused was likely to interfere with the complainant whom he stays with as well as other witnesses who are his relatives.
However, magistrate Makamera Waini consented to bail, but ordered the accused not to interfere with witnesses, to stay at his given address as well as report once every Friday at Rutenga Police Station.
Allegations are that, between March and August this year, the father forced his daughter to sleep with him on the same bed every night, from Monday to Friday when his wife, wh
o is a teacher at a distant school, was away. The man allegedly raped his daughter on each of those occasions. The mother usually visited her daughter and husband during weekends.
The State heard that the man raped his daughter on at least 12 ocassions until the girl alerted relatives, who reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of her father.
The trial is set to proceed on September 27.
