15 years for raping niece

A Harare man was last week sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping his three-year-old niece. Harare magistrate Ms Bianca Makwande sentenced the 28-year-old man to 15 years in prison, but suspended three years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.

He will serve an effective 12 years in prison. In passing sentence, Ms Makwande said she took into account that the complainant is a young child, which aggravates the offence. She also noted that the accused is the complainant's uncle who is supposed to take care of the child as her guardian, which prohibits him from acting in the manner he did. The State proved that sometime in July this year, the complainant was taken by her grandmother from her home.

She was later left at her uncle's house. The accused took off the complainant's track bottom and raped her. The child later spilled the beans and the case was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused.