ZIMSPHERE
BEITBRIDGE – A 24-year-old man from Beitbridge, Zimbabwe, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of raping his neighbour's 5-year-old daughter, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The incident occurred on December 23, 2023, when the child's mother entrusted her to the care of the man's wife due to out-of-town work commitments. The man returned home around midnight to find the child sleeping in the same bed as his wife.
According to the NPA, "He sneaked into the blankets and assaulted the child. She cried out in pain and tried to wake up the man's wife."
The wife admitted that "she heard the child crying but could not react as she was too drunk."
In an attempt to silence the child, the man bought her mangoes on December 25 and instructed her to blame other children if questioned about the incident.
The following morning, the child showed the man's wife her injuries, saying, "ndasvuuka". The wife noticed some discharge while bathing the child but did not inquire further.
Upon the mother's return on December 28, she observed injuries on the child but did not investigate.
The incident came to light when the child confided in her aunt, who urged the mother to report the matter to the police, leading to the man's arrest.
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