Binga man jailed 30 years for raping disabled daughter

A BINGA man has been sentenced to a 30-year jail term for raping his disabled teenage daughter following advice from a traditional healer, who claimed that the dastardly act would make him wealthy.

Hwange regional magistrate, Collet Ndlovu, on Wednesday heard that the 45-year-old man from Siampongo area under Chief Sinamagonde, raped his physically-challenged daughter on three occasions between December last year and January this year.

In passing sentence, Ndlovu said rape was a serious human rights violation which deserved a lengthy custodial term.

He, however, suspended three years of the sentence on condition of good behaviour.

During trial, the rapist father denied the charge, saying his daughter had seduced him and consented to the act. He later claimed that a local traditional healer had advised him to bed her if he wanted to become rich.

However, the teenager told the court that her father raped her and threatened to unleash hyenas on her if she disclosed the matter.

The girl revealed that on multiple occasions she had fled from her family home and slept in the bush to avoid sexual abuse.

The matter only came to light when a neighbour noticed the girl's changed behaviour and quizzed her. The victim then spilled the beans, leading to her father's arrest.