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Midlands Correspondent
A 39-year-old man from Mberengwa has been sentenced to death by hanging after being found guilty of the murder of his three-year-old stepdaughter whom he had raped.

High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha on Tuesday convicted and sentenced Samson Mutero of Madhuve Village in Mberengwa. He was sentenced to death due to aggravating circumstances.

In passing the sentence, Justice Kamocha said the murder was planned and committed against a defenceless child who looked up to Mutero for protection.

Justice Kamocha said the murder was committed with actual intent considering that Mutero had forced his stepdaughter, Chipochashe Ndlovu, to accompany him to the bush to look for firewood.

He said it was clear that Mutero, who was represented by Mr Albert Mhaka of Mhaka Attorneys, had ulterior motives.

State counsel Mr Tafadzwa Mupariwa had asked the court to consider a stiffer punishment on Mutero since he had failed to protect the minor who looked up to him for protection and love.

“The minor had a right to life, but that right was violently taken away from her,” said Mr Mupariwa.

“There was no justification for killing the toddler and the State is calling for the maximum penalty.”

It was proved that on September 20, 2013 at around 11am, Mutero was at his homestead in the company of the child and her mother, Kudzai Dube.

Mutero took the infant into the bush on the pretext that he wanted her to assist him in fetching firewood.

While in the bush, Mutero raped her once and had anal sex with her before assaulting her all over her body with an unknown object until she fell unconscious.

Mutero ferried the child home and placed her in a bedroom hut, but she never gained consciousness.

After it was clear that the girl had died, Mutero arranged for her burial in Nkomonye Village, Chief Nyamhondo, in Mberengwa.

But the village head Mr Shumeka Shumba became suspicious and reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of Mutero.

Nine witnesses were called to testify in case.