A 35-YEAR-OLD Harare gardener who raped his employer’s eight-year-old granddaughter was on Thursday sentenced to 12-and-a-half years’ imprisonment for the offence.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
The convict, who was charged with two counts of rape and indecent assault, will serve a 10-and-a-half-year effective term after regional magistrate Estere Chivasa suspended two years on condition of good behaviour.
The court heard that on unknown date to the prosecutor, but in October this year, the convict entered the complainant’s bedroom while she was asleep and sneaked into her blankets.
He inserted his finger into the complainant’s private parts without her consent.
In the next morning the complainant told her grandmother what had transpired and the girl’s guardian warned him against his actions and threatened to report him to the police if he repeated the act again.
On October 17 this year and at around 7pm, the man approached the complainant on the verandah, grabbed and covered her mouth with his hand and took her to a nearby cabin where he raped her once.
The complainant reported the incident to her grandmother who then proceeded to report to the police, leading to the convict’s arrest.
