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Geraldine Zaranyika Herald Reporter
A HARARE man was last week sentenced to 15 years for raping his eight-year-old niece.

The man (28) appeared before Harare regional magistrate, Mrs Jessie Kufa facing rape charges.

Mrs Kufa initially sentenced him to 20 years before suspending five years on condition that in the next five years he will not commit the same offence.

In passing sentence, Mrs Kufa said what worsened the offence was that the man was the girl’s uncle and instead of safeguarding the interests of his niece, he turned out to be the abuser.

She said it was the duty of the courts to protect the rights of children.

Prosecutor Panganai Chiutsi had called for a stiffer sentence, indicating that rape was a serious offence.

Facts were that on May 1, the man called the complainant who was washing dishes to his bedroom, but the girl refused.

He dragged the girl to his bedroom where he raped her once.

On May 5, the girl’s mother discovered that her daughter had difficulty walking and upon interviewing her, she revealed that her uncle raped her.