A 26-YEAR-OLD man from Jotsholo in Matabeleland North province was jailed 21 years for raping his 12-year-old niece.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, appeared at the Hwange Regional Magistrates Court facing two counts of indecent assault and one count of rape.
He was convicted on all counts and was sentenced to 12 months in prison for indecent assault and 20 years for rape.
The accused person raped his 12-year-old niece and indecently touched her along with his other nine-year-old niece.
The court was told that sometime in March this year, the complainants who are siblings were left in the custody of their uncle.
During the same month, the accused person got into the siblings’ bedroom as they were preparing to go to school and fondled their breasts and privates.
He threatened them with disappearance if they revealed the matter to anyone.
Sometime later in the same month, the man raped one of his nieces and the matter came to light in May when the complainant confided in her aunt who had visited.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to the uncle’s arrest.