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A father who allegedly molested his two-year-old daughter has appeared in court facing rape charges. The man was entrusted with the custody of his daughter while the mother stayed behind in South Africa where she was working. Appearing before Mr Elijah Makomo yesterday, the man was not asked to plead. Mr Makomo remanded him in custody to January 21.

He advised him to apply for bail at the High Court as Mr Makomo’s jurisdiction does not grant him powers to give bail in such cases.

Prosecutor Ms Idah Maromo alleged that on November 20 last year, the man travelled from South Africa with his daughter on holiday.

The court heard that the two slept in the same room and bathed together.

It is alleged that when the girl’s mother joined them for the holiday, she noticed that the girl’s genitals were swollen but did not take any action.

It is the State’s case that on New Year’s Day the mother noticed that the baby was not wearing her diaper and asked her to retrieve it.

The baby allegedly took the diaper from the bedroom where her father was sleeping.

On the same day during the night the mother heard her daughter crying while she was in the bedroom with her father and when she was called out she went to her mother without her diaper on, it is alleged.

The court heard that the mother then noticed that her daughter’s genitals were swollen and had some white fluid on it.

The baby’s mother then suspected that her husband had raped their daughter and reported the matter to the police leading to the man’s arrest on January 3.