Canada-based man up for sister in-law rape

By Michelle Gwizi

A 38 year old man who is based in Canada has appeared in court for allegedly habitually raping his sister-in-law between 2014 and 2018 in Bulawayo.

The accused person allegedly started abusing the victim when she was 14-years-old.

He used to allegedly rape her every holiday when he would have visited the country from Canada.

The accused person appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi who remanded him in custody to April 1 for provision of a trial date.

He applied for bail but is still waiting for a response.

Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said the man would leave his wife, who is the girl’s sister, sleeping and sneak into the minor’s room to abuse her.

“During one of the nights in August 2014, the complainant was sleeping in her bedroom as usual, while her sister and the husband were in their own bedroom.

“At about midnight, the accused person entered complainant’s bedroom and ordered her to undress.

“She refused but he went on to forcibly remove her undergarments,” said Mr Mageza.

It was not clear if the accused person used protection when he allegedly raped the complainant.

The accused person used to stay in Canada where he was employed and every time he came to visit his family in Zimbabwe he would forcibly have sexual intercourse with the complainant several times on different occasions, the court heard.

The complainant did not tell anyone about the matter until October 2018 when she informed her pastor who informed the complainant’s mother of the abuse.

When the mother interviewed her child on the matter, she refused to have the matter reported to the police because she did not want to destroy her sister’s marriage and that she was afraid that the accused person would stop supporting her family.

“On March 20, the complainant’s sister heard that she had been abused by the accused person. She decided to report the matter to the police leading to the accused’s arrest,” said the prosecutor.

The complainant was taken to hospital where she was examined and her medical report was produced in court as an exhibit. The Chronicle