Domestic worker jailed for raping employer's 10-year-old

A domestic worker from Esigodini has been slapped with an effective 15-year jail term for raping his employer's 10 year-old daughter.

The domestic worker would give the girl R2 each time he raped her.The man who cannot be named to protect the identity of the girl but is from Esibomvu area had denied the two counts of rape when he appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Joseph Mabeza.

Mabeza, however, found him guilty of both counts and sentenced him to 10 years for each count.

Five years were suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within that period.

Prosecuting, Mncedisi Dube narrated how the domestic worker raped his employer's Grade Six child sometime last year.

He said the man took the complainant to fetch firewood at a nearby bushy area, near a mountain.

While in the bush, Dube said, the man got hold of the complainant's hand and tripped her to ground before raping her once.

The court heard that after raping the girl, he stood up, dressed himself and the girl.

"When they were going home, the man gave the complainant R2 and told her not to tell anyone about the issue. Due to fear, the complainant kept the matter to herself," Dube said.

The man again raped the girl in similar fashion while fetching firewood in a bushy area. He again bought her silence by giving her R2.

The matter came to light when the girl's brother spotted their domestic worker kissing his younger sister and reported him to their grandmother.

The girl was asked why the man had kissed her and she revealed that he had not only kissed her, but also raped her twice.

The matter was reported to the police leading to the domestic worker's arrest.