Man (41) accused of raping neighbour's daughter (3)

A 41-year-old Bulawayo man has appeared in court for allegedly detaining his neighbour's three-year-old daughter the whole night during which he allegedly raped her.

Innocent Jiyane of House Number 11687 in Nkulumane suburb was not asked to plead to rape charges when he appeared before Western

Commonage magistrate Mr Willard Maphios Moyo. He was remanded in custody to 12 September.

The prosecutor, Mr Whatmore Tembo, said on 24 August at about midnight, Jiyane sneaked into his neighbour's house where he found the complainant with her sister sleeping in their room.

The two girls were alone as their parents were not at home. Jiyane asked the complainant to come and sleep in his bedroom but the complainant's sister refused.

The court was told that when the complainant's sister fell asleep, Jiyane took the victim to his house where he allegedly detained her the whole night and allegedly raped her.

When the girl's sister woke up in the morning, she discovered that her younger sister was not in the room. The complainant later arrived home and she was bleeding.  When she was quizzed, she revealed that she had been raped.

A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of Jiyane.