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Courtney Matende Midlands Reporter
A 55-YEAR-OLD man from Gweru has been sentenced to 30 years in jail for raping and impregnating his 13-year-old granddaughter whom he bribed with a dollar and a packet of jiggies.

The accused appeared before Gweru regional magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa on two counts of rape.

He pleaded not guilty, but was convicted after a full trial.

Six years of his sentence were suspended on condition of good behaviour, so he will serve an effective 24 years in prison.

Passing judgement, Mrs Msipa said the accused deserved a lengthy prison which would deter other would-be offenders.

“You’ve been convicted of a serious offence and from the evidence produced before this court you did not only rape your granddaughter once or twice but several times,” she said.

“It was your legal duty to protect her, but you abused your authority and turned out to be her abuser. She is no longer attending school due to your doings.

“The State has submitted that this was pre-planned and you would give her a dollar or a packet of jiggies to buy her silence. You were successful because she did not report the issue until her pregnancy.

“You are a first offender and usually a custodial sentence is the last judgement. You committed a serious offence and therefore a non-custodial sentence will trivialise the seriousness of the offence and society will lose confidence in the justice system.”

It was the State case that in February last year; the complainant was sleeping in her bedroom with another child.

The convict went into the room and got into the complainant’s blankets. He raped and gave her RTGS$1,50 bond coins to remain quiet.

He also threatened to kill her by burning the house down while she is inside if she revealed the matter to anyone.

He also raped her on a separate day and the matter only came to light when the complainant fell pregnant and indicated that the convict was responsible.

The matter was reported to the police leading to his arrest.

Mr Talent Tadenyika appeared for the State.