HARARE - A 50-year-old Epworth man who acted on the advice of a n’anga that he would become rich after raping his daughter was brought to court yesterday.
The man (name withheld) is said to have been on the run since 2010 after he raped and sired a son with his biological daughter. Police officers handling the rape case managed to trace him to Ruwange in Nyanga where he had engaged another n’anga to have the court case he is facing dissolved.
The n’anga alerted Ruwange police of the accused person’s case and he was arrested and brought back to Epworth. He appeared before Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe yesterday and was remanded to June 14 for commencement of trial.
Prosecutor Sabastian Mutizirwa alleged that sometime in 2010 the victim was at home with her father. The court heard that the father approached and dragged her into the bedroom before raping her. It was alleged that the daughter would confide in her friends about the incidents but this did not help.
The complainant began staying with her aunt and then went on to work as a housemaid in Harare’s Avenues area.
During weekends, the father would go and collect his daughter at her workplace before proceeding to lodges. The accused person would continuously rape his daughter claiming that since he was the one who had broken her virginity and was responsible for the pregnancy.
The girl conceived but did not reveal that her father was responsible until she gave birth to a son who is now five years old. She later went to Hopley Farm and stayed with her brother while their father catered for rentals and other expenses.
The court heard that she confided in a female neighbour about the rape incidents.
The unidentified neighbour later discussed the issue with complainant’s brothers who subsequently neglected her because she had been impregnated by their father. They later engaged their grandfather to resolve the issue without involving the police.
However, the grandfather took advantage and raped the girl after promising that he would conceal the offence. The accused person moved in with his daughter at Retreat in Waterfalls and they stayed there as husband and wife.
It was further alleged that the victim was continuously sexually molested. In May this year, an unknown informer dropped a note disclosing the rape incident at Chitungwiza and Waterfalls police stations.
This led to the matter being investigated at Epworth Police Station before the complainant was located and recorded statements.
The accused person then fled to Ruwange in Nyanga to get charms that would make the case crumble. However, the n’anga reported the accused person to the police leading to his arrest.
- Dailynews