A 41-year-old man from Tsholotsho has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the repeated sexual abuse of his daughter over three years. The girl, who was 10 when the abuse began, is now 13.
The abuse was uncovered in July after the girl learned about sexual abuse during a school lesson. Realizing she had been a victim, she confided in her teacher, who assisted her in reporting the matter to the police.
During his court appearance before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mrs. Dambudzo Malunga, the man denied the allegations, claiming his daughter made up the story as revenge for disciplinary measures he took after she stole textbooks.
The girl testified that her father was abusive and had previously harmed her stepmother, resulting in her blindness. She stated that the sexual assaults occurred whenever her stepmother was not at home.
In his defense, the man argued that he is a breadwinner with two wives and eight children depending on him.
In delivering the sentence, Mrs. Malunga emphasized the severity of the man’s abusive behavior, particularly towards his daughter. She noted that the victim reported the abuse voluntarily, without any pressure, and that the court accepted her account over the father’s claims.
Prosecutor Mr. Owen Mugari detailed how the first incident occurred in 2021 at their home in Tsholotsho, following a conflict that caused the stepmother to leave. The father had threatened the girl to prevent her from speaking out.
The court heard that the man repeatedly assaulted his daughter whenever his wife was away. Following the revelation, the girl was examined at Tsholotsho District Hospital, and the medical report was submitted as evidence.
Mr. Mugari highlighted that the man exploited his position instead of protecting his daughter and noted that he had a history of violence against his wife. He also revealed that the girl had attempted suicide by ingesting fertilizer due to the trauma inflicted by her father.
The prosecutor urged for a sentence that would serve as a deterrent to others who might consider committing similar offenses.
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