Raping and impregnating a 14-year-old stepdaughter earns a Buhera man 30 years imprisonment.
Tatenda Chawanika (32) of Dhewa Village, Chief Chitsunge who was not represented and was denying ever abusing his step-daughter will, however, serve 25 years in jail after Rusape regional magistrate, Mr Livingstone Chipadza suspended five years on condition of good behaviour.
The stepdaughter has since given birth. Rusape area prosecutor, Mr Tirivanhu Mutyasira, told the court that Chawanika on two occasions took advantage of the absence of his wife who is the girl’s mother to sexually abuse her before threatening her with death if ever she divulged the abuse to anyone.
Sometime in October 2014, Chawanika and the complainant were at home. While the complainant was doing laundry in the kitchen hut, the accused person entered the kitchen and grabbed her by the collar and raped her.
After the rape, Chawanika threatened to kill the complainant if she revealed the matter to anyone. In October 2014, the girl arrived home from school and found the accused person alone seated under a tree.
The girl entered the bedroom in order to change her school uniform. Chawanika followed her in the bedroom and proceeded to rape her. — Manica Post.