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Tawanda Mangoma in CHIREDZI
A Zaka man was last Friday sentenced to 17 years in jail after he was found guilty of raping his disabled niece.

Chiredzi regional magistrate Mrs Judith Zuyu sentenced Joseph Hove (61) of Hove Village under Chief Nhema, to an effective 14-year-jail term after suspending three years for five years on condition of good behaviour.

The State, lead by prosecutor Mr Eddie Mbavarira, proved that on June 30 this year, Hove raped his brother’s 23-year-old daughter who was herding cattle at a nearby bush.

“Hove threatened the complainant with unspecified action if she reported the offence,” he said.

The matter only came to light after three weeks, when the complainant started having stomach problems resulting in her mother investigating the cause.

The girl accused her uncle of raping her.

“The family tried resolving the matter internally, but eventually agreed to report the matter to the police,” said Mr Mbavarira.

In his defence, Hove denied the allegations saying his family fabricated the whole story to fix him.

“Your worship, I didn’t do it. I was even shocked when the family invited me to a meeting where I was arrested,” said Hove.

Ms Zuyu, however, found the accused guilty on the basis that he had failed to give the court valid reasons why people would frame him.