By A Correspondent- Preshet Mpala (33) of Chimwara Village 3, Gwayi area under Chief Mabhikwa in Lupane was jailed for incest after he had several sexual encounters with his maternal cousin while his wife was hospitalized with an undisclosed illness.

Mpala appeared before Hwange resident magistrate Collet Ncube on Friday facing a charge of incest.

He pleaded not guilty to the three rape counts before the charges were altered to incest during the trial.

The complainant was 18 when the offences were committed in 2018 but trial only started recently.

Mpala was sentenced to 12 months in jail before four months were suspended on condition of good behaviour. He will effectively serve eights month in jail.

Prosecuting Vumizulu Mangena said the two resided in the same village but at different homesteads.

He said:

On the 6th day of February 2018, the two went to the fields to plough. On their way from the fields, Mpala demanded sex from the complainant but she refused.

He dragged her into a nearby church building and had sex with her inside once. After the act, the accused person withdrew a packet of biscuits from his trousers’ pockets and gave the complainant.

The two had sex several times after the first incident – in fields and at the complainant’s place of residence – and the matter came to light after the complainant confided in a relative who spilt the beans.-statemedia