PLUMTREE – In a startling case, a woman who was raped multiple times by her own father starting at 13 and conceiving at 16, finally returned home from Botswana with the rape offspring to reveal the ordeal.
In statement, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) confirmed the 42-year-old father from Chief Hikwa, Dombodema, Plumtree has been jailed 20 years for the crime by a Plumtree magistrate.
“The complainant is the offender’s biological daughter, she was 13 at the time of the commission of the crime,” said NPAZ.
According to NPAZ, sometime in 2013, the man who could not be named on ethical reasons, was sleeping in the same room with his wife and their daughter.
“One night, the accused person took advantage of his wife’s absence and disembarked from his bed, went to the complainant’s bedding and raped her,” NPAZ said.
“He threatened the complainant by saying that, if she reported him she would lose a breadwinner. He therefore, repeatedly raped her and she fell pregnant.”
As if that was not enough, the man continued to rape his daughter during her pregnancy.
The victim later fled to Botswana after giving birth in 2016.
The crime only emerged when the victim returned home last month with an 8-year-old girl who was the product of the rape ordeal.
However, for somewhat bizarre reasons, the victim was prompted to report her own attack in a bid to protect the minor from being abused by the man.
Said NPAZ, “Fearing that her daughter might end up being abused also, the complainant made a police report, leading to the arrest of the accused person.”
He was imprisoned for the crime.
