Father on trial: Man (53) accused of raping daughter for over three years, and impregnating her

ZIMSPHERE

BEITBRIDGE – The trial of a 53-year-old cross-border transporter from Beitbridge, accused of raping his daughter over a span of three years, is set to resume on January 18. The man, currently in custody, allegedly began the abuse when his daughter was just 13, persisting until she became pregnant at 16.

The accused strongly denied the three charges of rape when he stood before Beitbridge Regional Magistrate, Mr. Innocent Bepura, last Friday. 

The allegations include not only the rape of his daughter from a previous marriage but also collusion with his current wife to illegally terminate the resulting pregnancy in December of the previous year. 

The stepmother, aged 47, has already been sentenced to four years in prison by a local magistrate for her role in the illegal abortion.

Prosecutor Miss Tsitsi Mutukwa detailed the harrowing details of the case, stating that the abuse commenced in August 2020. 

She stated that the accused returned home one evening to find his 13-year-old daughter, her stepmother, and other children. After everyone else had retired for bed, he stayed up with the girl, who was occupied with schoolwork. 

He began to assist her with the homework, but as the night wore on, he started to caress her and subsequently raped her. After the incident, he sent her to bed.

It also came to light that in October 2022, he attempted to rape her in her bedroom but was thwarted by the presence of her elder sister. 

However, in September 2023, he succeeded in raping her again when she fell asleep while watching television.

The girl discovered her pregnancy from the alleged sexual abuse later that month and confided in a church leader in November, who then reported it to a local pastor. 

When the stepmother learnt about the pregnancy on December 3, she quizzed the girl about the father. Upon hearing the teenager's excruciating story, the stepmother purchased medication to terminate the pregnancy in an attempt to conceal the crime.

The matter came to light when a friend of the girl learned about the situation and informed the religious leader, who then reported it to the police. 

The girl was taken to Beitbridge District Hospital for medical attention, where it was confirmed that her pregnancy had been terminated. 

The couple was subsequently arrested, and the medication used for the illegal abortion was recovered from their residence.