A Plumtree magistrate’s court has sentenced a 42-year-old man to 20 years in prison for the rape of his biological daughter, a crime that resulted in the birth of his grandchild and biological son at the same time.
The man, whose identity is being withheld to protect the victim, hails from Chief Hikwa’s area in Dombodema, Matabeleland North.
The court heard that the horrific abuse began in 2013 when the victim, then just 13 years old, was living with her parents and siblings in a single room. One night, while his wife was absent, the father left his bed and sexually assaulted his daughter.
The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) detailed the harrowing events in a statement: “He threatened the complainant by saying that, if she reported him she would lose a breadwinner. He therefore, repeatedly raped her and she fell pregnant. The accused person continued to rape the accused person during her pregnancy.”
The man’s actions were not a one-off incident; the abuse continued throughout the victim’s pregnancy. After giving birth to a baby girl in 2016, the young mother fled to Botswana, seeking refuge from her abuser and a chance to build a life free from his shadow.
She remained in Botswana for several years, raising her daughter alone. However, last December, she returned to Zimbabwe with her now eight-year-old child. The decision to return home was a difficult one, fraught with apprehension. The fear that her father might also abuse her daughter spurred her to finally report the years of abuse she had suffered.
Her courage led to the arrest and subsequent prosecution of her father. The state’s case, presented before the Plumtree Magistrates’ Court, detailed the events of that night in 2013 and the subsequent pattern of abuse. The court heard how the man used threats to silence his victim, warning her that reporting the abuse would leave her without a provider. This fear, coupled with the power imbalance inherent in the father-daughter relationship, prevented her from seeking help sooner.
The court found the man guilty of rape and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment. The sentence reflects the severity of the crime and the lasting trauma inflicted upon the victim.
