A 40-YEAR-OLD Chitungwiza man who raped his 12-year-old niece last month was yesterday handed a 15-year jail term by regional magistrate Estere Chivasa.
By Sofia Mapuranga
Fungai Kanga of 58 Chigunguru Road, Zengeza 1 will serve an effective 13 years after two years of his sentence was suspended on condition of good behaviour and that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years. Kanga was convicted of rape on his own plea of guilty.
Prosecutor Loveti Muringwa told the court that on May 17 at around 6pm, the complainant who is a minor, was sent by her father with money to Kanga’s house, which he shares with his mother — the victim’s grandmother. Since it was late, the complainant was instructed by her father to sleep there.
The following day at around 6am — in the absence of her grandmother — while opening the windows in the sitting room where Kanga was sleeping, the accused dragged the minor into his blankets and closed her mouth. He forcibly removed her pant and proceeded to rape her. He ordered the complainant to go back home and she informed her mother that she had been raped. The complainant’s mother observed some blood stains on her daughter’s pants. She informed the accused’s mother about the issue and she insulted her. However, the matter was not reported to the police.
A report was later made on May 27 by the complainant’s mother after the father of the complainant threatened to stab anyone who had sexual intercourse with his daughter. This was during a discussion where the family was talking about a neighbour who had raped his own niece.
The mother then disclosed to the complainant’s father what had happened to their daughter and the matter was reported to the police, leading to Kanga’s arrest.
The minor, a primary school pupil, was medically examined at Chitungwiza Referral Hospital and a medical affidavit was provided as State evidence.
