News / Local
Ex-cop allegedly raped niece in exchange for uniform
31 Jul 2014 at 03:33hrs | Views
An elder brother to the Bulawayo ex-police officer facing alleged charges of raping his school going niece on five occasions yesterday testified in court that his brother forced the young girl to have sex with him in exchange for a school winter uniform.
The trial of the former police officer who was stationed at Ross Camp when he allegedly committed the rape offence between 2001 and 2005, continued yesterday before Magistrate Chrispen Mberewere at the Bulawayo High Court.
Testifying in court, the accused's brother - who is a state witness - said on the first occasion of sexual abuse, the complainant, who was in Form one then, was raped after the school had sent her home for a winter uniform.
The accused reportedly took the child into his home, to help out an older brother's widow who was struggling with fees.
"She told us that she was sent home for a winter uniform. When she got home she found the accused alone and told him why she had been sent home. She said she was raped and told to keep the secret," said the witness.
"It was embarrassing, I could not ask for details from a daughter."
The state witness told the court that the complainant only disclosed the matter to the relatives in 2009.
He said she told them she feared the accused would kill her as he had threatened her not to disclose the matter to anyone.
She also alleged to her uncle that the accused had promised to get her a passport and help her travel to either South Africa or Botswana where he would assist her to set up a business.
The accused's brother told the court that a meeting convened by the relatives concluded that the complainant, together with her mother and brother, should make a report to the police.
On Tuesday, the complainant, who is now aged 26, told the court she concealed the matter fearing death, as her uncle had once threatened her with his service pistol.
The lawyer representing the accused, Kucaca Phulu, disputed the complainant's evidence that she was impregnated by her uncle in 2005, and provided documentary evidence in court proving his client's infertility.
The complainant alleged that the rape incidences occurred at Ross Camp, Khumalo and Northend suburbs where she lived with her uncle and his family after her father's death.
The trial continues today.
The trial of the former police officer who was stationed at Ross Camp when he allegedly committed the rape offence between 2001 and 2005, continued yesterday before Magistrate Chrispen Mberewere at the Bulawayo High Court.
Testifying in court, the accused's brother - who is a state witness - said on the first occasion of sexual abuse, the complainant, who was in Form one then, was raped after the school had sent her home for a winter uniform.
The accused reportedly took the child into his home, to help out an older brother's widow who was struggling with fees.
"She told us that she was sent home for a winter uniform. When she got home she found the accused alone and told him why she had been sent home. She said she was raped and told to keep the secret," said the witness.
"It was embarrassing, I could not ask for details from a daughter."
The state witness told the court that the complainant only disclosed the matter to the relatives in 2009.
She also alleged to her uncle that the accused had promised to get her a passport and help her travel to either South Africa or Botswana where he would assist her to set up a business.
The accused's brother told the court that a meeting convened by the relatives concluded that the complainant, together with her mother and brother, should make a report to the police.
On Tuesday, the complainant, who is now aged 26, told the court she concealed the matter fearing death, as her uncle had once threatened her with his service pistol.
The lawyer representing the accused, Kucaca Phulu, disputed the complainant's evidence that she was impregnated by her uncle in 2005, and provided documentary evidence in court proving his client's infertility.
The complainant alleged that the rape incidences occurred at Ross Camp, Khumalo and Northend suburbs where she lived with her uncle and his family after her father's death.
The trial continues today.
Source - Zim Mail
