By – A Masvingo man, Nickel Chikwanda, who was caught pants down with his brother’s 12-year-old daughter, has been sentenced to 16 years in jail.

Chikwanda, from village 15B Chamanhure, raped the girl on several occasions after he initially enticed her by promising her some zap nax.

Chikwada appeared before Magistrate Patience Madondo.

The court heard that the complainant’s mother used to entrust her daughter with the accused to the extent that she would send her to assist Chikwanda with household chores, including washing plates.

It is on one of these missions that the accused promised to buy the complainant some zap nax and had sex with her. He then had sex with the complainant on several other occasions before he was caught.
On the fateful day on March 12 this year, the accused was tasked to escort the complainant to her grandmother’s house because it was dark. The accused diverted the route and took the complainant to his house and had sexual intercourse with her. He then asked the complainant to spend the night with him.
At around 7pm a call was made to the grandmother to confirm if the complainant had arrived safely. The grandmother responded negatively and some relatives went and checked at the accused’s house.
One of the relatives knocked on Chikwanda’s bedroom and the accused took time to respond and the relatives peeped through the window only to see the two naked.
The matter was reported to Police after the girl narrated everything that was happening.
Liberty Hove prosecuted.
Three years were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence for the next five years.

-Mirror