A 46-year-old Gweru man was last week sentenced to an effective 15 years behind bars for indecently assaulting and sexually abusing his 14-year-old daughter.

He pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault and two of sexual abuse when he appeared before Gweru regional magistrate Mrs Pathekile Msipa.

He was, however, convicted after a full trial due to overwhelming evidence.

The abusive father was initially jailed for 20 years before five years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

It was the State case that in 2015, the complainant was left under the care of the father by her mother.

The court heard that the complainant slept in the same room with the father but using different blankets.
The father later got out of his blankets and sneaked into his daughter’s and started fondling her buttocks and breasts before raping her.

Sometime in 2017, the convict was caught red-handed fondling and caressing the complainant while holding a condom in his hand.
In February 2018, the father also went into a bush to fetch firewood together with the complainant.

While in the bush, the father tripped the complainant and again raped her.
The complainant later told her mother about the abuse and the matter was reported to the police leading to the abusive father’s arrest.State media