A 30-YEAR-OLD man who dumped his wife a few days after raping his 13-year-old niece was Monday sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment by a Harare magistrate.
Lovemore Hunduza of Nyabira abused his niece, sent his wife packing and went on to inform his in-laws that he preferred staying with the juvenile instead.
He will however, spend 8 years behind the bars after magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni suspended 4 years of his sentence on conditions.
Hunduza pleaded for a lighter sentence saying that the incident happened out of ignorance.
He told court that although he committed a crime, his niece liked him so much and would follow him to his bed.
When sentencing, magistrate Mthombeni said she considered that Hunduza was a first offender who “never brushed with the laws” in his 30 years.
She also noted that Hunduza was a bread-winner earning $90 per month and only went up to Grade 7.
Allegations against Hunduza arose on November 8 this year when his wife left him in the company of her brother’s daughter.
Court heard that the teenager prepared food before taking her homework to her uncle for assistance.
When she completed her homework she placed her books on the table. But when she was about to walk out of the room, her uncle grabbed her and made her to lie on his chest.
Hunduza then took the girl to the bed and forced himself on her once.
Prosecutor Ressy Nyamombe told the court that he was disturbed by a voice which called from outside the house while he was raping his niece.
The court heard that he then ordered her to dress up and threatened to bewitch her if she ever told anyone.
That night he deserted his matrimonial bed and never slept with his wife for several days that followed.
Hunduza finally sent his wife to her parents and told her that he preferred staying with the teenager.
This raised suspicions and the girl was quizzed by her grandparents.
She then disclosed that her uncle had raped her once.
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