By Shamiso Dzingire
A BULAWAYO man allegedly raped his 17-year-old sister-in-law for five years until she recently fell pregnant, a court heard on Friday.
Andrew Sitshela, 25, of Cowdray Park suburb, allegedly started raping the juvenile from 2011 in the absence of his wife who is the girl’s sister. He was not asked to plead when he briefly appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Themba Chimiso facing three counts of rape and was remanded in custody to 21 August.
In his warned and cautioned statement to the police, Sitshela denied raping the girl in 2011 but admitted to having consensual sexual intercourse with the juvenile from 2014.
He also stated that they were having an affair.
Prosecuting, Mariah John said sometime in 2011, Sitshela went to the girl’s bedroom where she was sleeping with his two-year-old daughter.
Sitshela allegedly removed his daughter from the bed and placed her on the floor.
“The accused, who had already removed his clothes, undressed the juvenile before raping her once,” said John.
The court heard that the girl kept quiet about the incident out of fear of Sitshela and she returned to her grandmother’s place in Famona suburb.
In 2014, the juvenile’s sister, who is employed by the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture, was transferred from Bulawayo to Plumtree.
The court heard that in December 2014, Sitshela called the juvenile into his bedroom and asked for a body massage but the girl refused.
“He got up and locked the door. He then told the girl that she was going to spend the night with him but the juvenile remained standing,” said John.
The court heard how Sitshela dragged the girl to a bed and forcibly removed her pants and raped her twice before opening the door for her.
Sitshela allegedly raped the girl once in January this year.
John said some weeks later, the juvenile discovered that she was pregnant and kept quiet.
She said the matter came to light when Sitshela’s wife discovered that her sister was pregnant.
“Her sister asked her who was responsible for the pregnancy and the girl revealed everything,” said John.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to Sitshela’s arrest. The Chronicle
