HIV+ rapist Rusape dad jailed 20 years

AN HIV-positive Rusape man recently raped his three-year-old daughter.

For the offence, the 37-year-old man who cannot be named to protect the identity of his daughter, will languish in prison for the next 20 years.

The man had pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Rusape Regional Magistrate Mrs Loice Mukunyadzi, who did not suspend any part of the sentence.

In sentencing the man, who has been living with HIV for the past seven years, Mrs Mukunyadzi said his moral blameworthiness was high and deserved a stiffer sentence.

In aggravation, Rusape district prosecutor, Mr Tirivanhu Mutyasira, encouraged the court not to have any mercy on the father.

He said the rape could have been ritually motivated as primitive people mistakenly believe that being intimate with young girls could cure HIV.

Mr Mutyasira told the court that the father raped the child in the absence of her mother who had gone to do some piece jobs in the village.

When the mother returned, she noticed that the girl was having difficulties in walking and questioned her.

"On June 17 at around 7am, the girl's mother left her in the custody of the accused while going to do some part time jobs in Bhobho area of Inyati.

"The accused person took advantage of that and went to his bedroom with the child and raped her.

"On the same day around 3pm, the mother returned and discovered that the child was having difficulties in walking.

"She was also scratching her private parts regularly. She examined her and discovered semen coming out of her privates.

"She questioned her and she revealed that she was raped by the accused person," said Mr Mutyasira.