Matobo Man Jailed 15 Years For Raping Niece, Abuse Revealed 5 Years Later
A 53-year-old man from Matobo has been sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison after he was convicted of raping his 17-year-old niece on two occasions.
The Hwange Magistrates’ Court handed down the sentence after finding the man guilty on two counts of rape.
According to a bulletin issued by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the first incident occurred in January 2020, when the victim visited the offender’s homestead. After the man and his wife returned from church, the wife instructed the girl to serve her uncle tea and then left to buy relish.
The offender then sent his son to fetch water, leaving him alone with the teenager. He dragged her into the kitchen, forced her to the ground and raped her before ordering her to keep the matter secret.
Later that same year, during the farming season, the victim was left at home preparing food while others were working in the fields. The man approached her, claiming he wanted his cellphone charged, followed her into a room and raped her a second time.
The abuse remained undisclosed for years. The matter came to light in 2025 after the victim joined a health WhatsApp group and recognised symptoms she was experiencing. On the advice of the group administrator, she sought medical care, confided in her school teacher and reported the case to the police, leading to the man’s arrest.
The NPA said the sentence underlines the justice system’s resolve to protect vulnerable members of society, particularly children.
“The justice system remains resolute in protecting the most vulnerable members of society, particularly children, from heinous predators. Exploitation and abuse against infants and juveniles constitute a grave violation of human dignity, and the law will continue to impose stiff, uncompromising custodial sentences to ensure justice is served,” the NPA said.
