A Lalapanzi man who raped and impregnated his 14-year-old niece will spend the next 12 years in prison. Regional Magistrate Morgan Nemadire threw the book at Kenneth Nkiwane, 39, saying he was a monster who made a child give birth to another child.
Nemadire heard how Nkiwane, his wife and the girl’s aunt threatened to throw the juvenile out into the streets if she told anyone about the rape. The magistrate convicted Nkiwane on his own plea of guilty to one count of rape.
He sentenced him to 15 years and suspended three years on condition Nkiwane does not commit an offence of a sexual nature within the period. In passing sentence, Nemadire said that Nkiwane had breached the trust that the child had bestowed on him.
“You were supposed to protect her as her guardian but you chose to sexually abuse her. You breached her trust. What you did was immoral,” said the magistrate. He said Nkiwane committed a serious offence that was aggravated by the victim falling pregnant.
Prosecuting Priscah Kanhukamwe said sometime in October last year at around 1PM, the 14-year-old was left at home with Nkiwane, her grandmother and her cousin whilst her aunt Florence went to Pfende Business Centre to buy chickens for resale.
“Whilst her aunt was away the 14 year old went to Nkiwane’s bedroom to collect some sugar.
“She found Nkiwane seated and resting on the bed and then he grabbed her and raped her once,” she said.
Kanhukamwe told the court that Nkiwane threatened to chase away the minor from home if she screamed or revealed the incident to anyone.
Kanhukamwe told the court that the teenager told her aunt Florence that her uncle had raped her but she (Florence) threatened her with unspecified action if she told anyone else.
She said Nkiwane’s wife forced the girl to lie to her grandmother and her cousin that a homeless man called Tapiwa had made her pregnant.
The woman, the court heard, threatened to kick the minor out of her house if she revealed the matter.
The matter came to light after a police tip-off from a suspicious neighbour, which led to Nkiwane’s arrest.