News / Local
'Niece rape' policeman alleges tribalism
24 Aug 2015 at 08:19hrs | Views
THE trial of a 55-year-old police officer who allegedly raped his three nieces aged 19, 14 and 11, opened in Bulawayo on Friday with the man claiming the girls' mother is framing him on tribal grounds.
Paul Haisosvi, who is based at Tshabalala Police Station, allegedly raped the girls, who are daughters to his sister-in-law, between 2012 and March 2014.
In his defence before senior regional magistrate Tranos Utahwashe, Haisosvi said the girls' mother did not like him as they are of different tribes.
"These allegations emanate from the fact that the mother of these children never accepted me as husband to her sister. They don't like me as I come from a tribe different to theirs," he said.
Haisosvi also said the girls' mother made a rape report after a failed attempt to siphon money from him.
One of the girls took to the witness stand and told the court she used to sleep in one room with Haisosvi, her maternal aunt who is Haisosvi's wife, and seven other children.
"We used to stay in one room which was separated by a curtain and Haisosvi would sneak to the other part of the room and get into our blankets. He would rape me and as time elapsed I noticed that he had also raped my sibling," said the girl who testified in camera.
All three girls testified together with their other aunt who told the court that Haisosvi molested the girls.
"The girls told me that Haisosvi had touched their breasts and private parts. They didn't mention that they were raped but that he touched their privates," she said before the State closed its case.
The trial continues tomorrow with the defence presenting its case.
Prosecuting, Robin Mukura said the children started staying with Haisosvi in 2012 when their mother moved to South Africa.
"Haisosvi stayed with his nieces who are children to his wife's sister. He had sexual intercourse with all of them without their consent as he was sharing a room with the girls, his children and wife. The room was only divided by a curtain," he said.
Mukura said the 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped in a car which was parked outside his house while others were asleep.
The court heard that Haisvosvi would sneak into the other two girls' blankets and rape them at night.
Haisosvi said the children were fabricating the stories.
He said: "These are spirits that are following me. Whoever is doing this is very good at his work. I didn't sleep with any of these girls but I helped them by giving them shelter and food and this is how they thank me?
"We stayed in a one-roomed house and how could I possibly rape them? I slept with my wife while they slept on the floor. How could I leave my wife on the bed and rape them on the floor in the same room?"
Paul Haisosvi, who is based at Tshabalala Police Station, allegedly raped the girls, who are daughters to his sister-in-law, between 2012 and March 2014.
In his defence before senior regional magistrate Tranos Utahwashe, Haisosvi said the girls' mother did not like him as they are of different tribes.
"These allegations emanate from the fact that the mother of these children never accepted me as husband to her sister. They don't like me as I come from a tribe different to theirs," he said.
Haisosvi also said the girls' mother made a rape report after a failed attempt to siphon money from him.
One of the girls took to the witness stand and told the court she used to sleep in one room with Haisosvi, her maternal aunt who is Haisosvi's wife, and seven other children.
"We used to stay in one room which was separated by a curtain and Haisosvi would sneak to the other part of the room and get into our blankets. He would rape me and as time elapsed I noticed that he had also raped my sibling," said the girl who testified in camera.
All three girls testified together with their other aunt who told the court that Haisosvi molested the girls.
"The girls told me that Haisosvi had touched their breasts and private parts. They didn't mention that they were raped but that he touched their privates," she said before the State closed its case.
The trial continues tomorrow with the defence presenting its case.
Prosecuting, Robin Mukura said the children started staying with Haisosvi in 2012 when their mother moved to South Africa.
"Haisosvi stayed with his nieces who are children to his wife's sister. He had sexual intercourse with all of them without their consent as he was sharing a room with the girls, his children and wife. The room was only divided by a curtain," he said.
Mukura said the 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped in a car which was parked outside his house while others were asleep.
The court heard that Haisvosvi would sneak into the other two girls' blankets and rape them at night.
Haisosvi said the children were fabricating the stories.
He said: "These are spirits that are following me. Whoever is doing this is very good at his work. I didn't sleep with any of these girls but I helped them by giving them shelter and food and this is how they thank me?
"We stayed in a one-roomed house and how could I possibly rape them? I slept with my wife while they slept on the floor. How could I leave my wife on the bed and rape them on the floor in the same room?"
Source - chronicle
