A 34-year-old man from Mberengwa has been sentenced to an effective 34 years in prison by the Zvishavane Regional Magistrates’ Court for repeatedly sexually assaulting his 12-year-old niece, who later fell pregnant as a result of the ordeal.
The court heard that the offender, whose name has been withheld to protect the identity of the minor, preyed upon the Grade 7 pupil over several nights in April 2025. The victim, who was sleeping alone in the kitchen hut at the time, was targeted on four separate occasions.
The court heard that the man would enter the kitchen hut in the dead of night, remove the young girl’s blankets, and forcibly engage in unprotected sexual intercourse with her. The victim was able to identify her uncle each time using the light from a torch she kept on inside the hut.
Despite the repeated trauma, the terrified child did not disclose the abuse to anyone. However, in May 2025, she realized she had missed her period and confided in her uncle. Rather than seek help, the offender confirmed she was pregnant and gave her money to run away from home.
The matter only came to light after the girl went missing and was later found at a homestead at Macadam Mine. During an interview with authorities, she bravely opened up about the repeated abuse she had suffered at the hands of her uncle.
The court convicted the man on multiple counts of sexual assault. In sentencing, the magistrate ordered that the sentences for Counts 1 and 2 run concurrently, as well as those for Counts 3 and 4. The offender will serve an effective 34 years behind bars.
