News / National
Man rapes granddaughter to get rich
17 Jul 2015 at 06:59hrs | Views
FOR the love of instant riches, an unemployed 68-year-old Gutu man fell for a sangoma's advice that he should rape his three-year-old granddaughter to become wealthy.
For that crime, he will spend the next 18 years in jail.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the minor's identity, pleaded guilty to rape before Masvingo regional magistrate Colet Ncube.
He told the court that he was advised by a traditional healer that having sex with a minor would end his financial problems.
The magistrate sentenced him to 20 years in prison, but two years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
In passing sentence, Ncube said the grandfather had abused an innocent child who looked up to him for protection.
"You deserve the most deterrent sentence. You betrayed the trust that the innocent child had on you by taking her for a wife. Cases of child sexual abuse are on the increase and the disturbing thing is that these vices are perpetrated by close relatives," said the magistrate.
Prosecuting, Sophia Busvumani said the grandfather told the minor that she was now ripe to be his wife.
"Sometime in January this year but on an unknown date, while his wife was away, he took his three-year-old granddaughter into his bedroom. He ordered her to remove her clothes including panties before raping her. He would on several occasions rape the minor without the girl reporting the crime to anyone," said Busvumani.
She said the matter only came to light when he was denied sex by his wife.
The court heard that the rapist told his wife that he was not bothered by her denial as he was being taken care of by his granddaughter.
His wife reported the matter to the police, leading to his arrest.
The man stunned the court when he revealed that he was carrying out the orders of a sangoma who advised him that sleeping with his granddaughter would bring riches.
For that crime, he will spend the next 18 years in jail.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the minor's identity, pleaded guilty to rape before Masvingo regional magistrate Colet Ncube.
He told the court that he was advised by a traditional healer that having sex with a minor would end his financial problems.
The magistrate sentenced him to 20 years in prison, but two years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
In passing sentence, Ncube said the grandfather had abused an innocent child who looked up to him for protection.
"You deserve the most deterrent sentence. You betrayed the trust that the innocent child had on you by taking her for a wife. Cases of child sexual abuse are on the increase and the disturbing thing is that these vices are perpetrated by close relatives," said the magistrate.
Prosecuting, Sophia Busvumani said the grandfather told the minor that she was now ripe to be his wife.
"Sometime in January this year but on an unknown date, while his wife was away, he took his three-year-old granddaughter into his bedroom. He ordered her to remove her clothes including panties before raping her. He would on several occasions rape the minor without the girl reporting the crime to anyone," said Busvumani.
She said the matter only came to light when he was denied sex by his wife.
The court heard that the rapist told his wife that he was not bothered by her denial as he was being taken care of by his granddaughter.
His wife reported the matter to the police, leading to his arrest.
The man stunned the court when he revealed that he was carrying out the orders of a sangoma who advised him that sleeping with his granddaughter would bring riches.
Source - chronicle
