Regional magistrate Mr Noel Mupeiwa last week jailed a 72-year-old Norton man who raped his neighbour’s 17-year-old mentally challenged daughter in his house with an effective four-year jail term.
The senior citizen (name withheld to protect victim), was exposed by a 10-year-old girl, who witnessed the despicable act through a window after her suspicions were raised when she noticed the man luring the teenager.
The magistrate sentenced the man to eight years in prison and set aside four years for five years on condition he does not commit a similar offence.
Mr Mupeiwa said the court was lenient with the man because of his old age, but also took into account the gravity of his offence.
“Even though the accused person is in his last days of living on this earth, I have not lost sight of the fact that he took advantage of the complainant’s mental status. The age difference is quite substantial, over 50 years to be precise, and that is aggravatory.
“However, the mitigatory factors far out way the aggravatory ones therefore I will reduce the sentence greatly. A custodial sentence with a suspended portion is most appropriate,” he said.
The man appeared to be hard of hearing and needed to have instructions shouted at him before he responded during the proceedings. On January 8 this year at around 4pm the complainant visited the man’s house where she wanted to get some mangoes in his yard.
She proceeded to pick fruits from the trees and was approached by the man who held her by the hand and led her into his house. The complainant’s friend, who had seen the man taking her into the house, followed.
She peeped inside the man’s bedroom and saw him raping the complainant.
The witness left the man’s house and reported the matter to the complainant’s relatives. The Herald
