A 25-year-old man will spend the next 13 years behind bars for raping his workmate’s 11-year-old daughter.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity, was initially sentenced to 18 years, but had five years suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The man pleaded not guilty to the charge, but regional magistrate Simon Rogers Kachambwa convicted him on overwhelming evidence.
Kachambwa also lambasted the girl’s father for being an irresponsible parent who neglected his children whose mother was late.
The court heard that sometime in August 2009, the girl, who was in Grade Four, was sent to the man’s house by her father to collect a garden tool.
The man and the girl’s father were workmates but their employer was not mentioned in court.
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The court heard when the girl got to the house the man was with his wife whom he immediately sent out and remained with the minor.
After his wife left the room he asked the girl to sit on his laps and told her he had already paid money to her father for marriage.
He immediately ordered the girl to lie on his bed and raped her once after which he took out a knife and threatened to cut her throat if she disclosed the rape.
He later gave her the garden tool and asked her to leave.
The matter came to light at school when the girl confided to her class teacher, prompting a report to be made leading to the man’s arrest.