Policeman nabbed for raping daughter

A 43-YEAR-OLD police officer has been arrested for allegedly raping his 17-year-old daughter on several occasions since she was 10-years-old.The cop, a member of CID Gwanda who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim was not asked to plead when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda facing a rape charge.He was remanded out of custody to May 29 on $1 000 bail.The police officer is alleged to have abused his daughter when her stepmother was not home.

Representing the accused person, Mr Bukhosi Ncube from Malinga and Mpofu Legal Practitioners tendered a bail consent form from the chief public prosecutor. “Considering that this matter falls under the third schedule I sought permission from the chief public prosecutor which was granted for the court to have jurisdiction over the matter. “According to the consent the national public prosecution isn’t opposed to bail. May the accused be granted bail on the conditions started in the consent form,” he said. Mrs Sibanda granted the accused person bail on condition that he resides at his given address and does not interfere with State witnesses.

Prosecuting, Miss Glenda Nare said the accused person allegedly started raping his 17-year-old daughter in 2012 while she was 10-years-old.
She said the accused person continued raping the complainant who will turn 18 years later this year until the matter came to light last week. “Sometime in 2012 the complainant was asleep at home when she felt a heavy weight on top of her. She woke up and realised that it was her father. She tried to scream but he threatened to beat her up and went on to rape her,” she said.“Sometime in 2014 while the complainant was staying with her father in Beitbridge he raped her several times while her step mother was not around and he warned her against reporting the matter. Sometime in 2016 they relocated to Lupane where he raped her several times.”Miss Nare said they later relocated to Gwanda where the accused person continued raping the complainant. She said the last incident occurred on April 29 when the accused person called the complainant into his bedroom and raped her.Miss Nare said the complainant revealed the matter to her aunt who then reported the matter to the police.

She said the complainant was taken to Gwanda Provincial Hospital for medical examination and the matter was also reported to the Social Welfare Department.She said the complainant was now under the care of the Social Welfare Department.