Man rapes, kills 1 year old daughter

A 34-YEAR-OLD Centenary man, Daniel Madzika, who allegedly raped and killed his one-year-old daughter last year, appeared before High Court judge Justice Joseph Musakwa yesterday facing two counts of rape and murder.

However, Madzika pleaded guilty to one count of rape and denied the murder charge.

The court heard that the chilling incident happened at Jingamvura village under Chief Chiweshe in Mashonaland Central province on July 29 last year.

Through his lawyer Fungai Chiwashira, Madzika denied having killed his daughter although the State insisted he was responsible for her death.

"The accused (Madzika) did not sexually abuse his daughter twice as alleged, but once in early July (last year). The accused did not cause the death of his one-year-old daughter by striking her with a hard object and never at any time struck the deceased," Chiwashira said.

"The accused was intoxicated with the illicit brew commonly known as kachasu and he lost his balance at his doorstep (while carrying the baby on his back), slipped and fell resulting in the deceased striking her head against the door post hence the injuries noticed," he added.

The alleged offence came to light when villagers who were dressing the the baby's body for burial discovered that the minor had been sexually abused and had bruises on her head.

The villagers immediately reported the matter to the police and Madzika, whose wife is late, admitted to the rape charge.

The State alleges on the day in question, Madzika invited a neighbour Tambudzai September to his house after realising his daughter's deteriorating health condition. On arrival at Madzika's homestead, it is alleged, September discovered the baby had already died and informed Madzika.

The trial was postponed indefinitely as the doctor who carried out the post-mortem was said to be out of the country.