Man in court for indecently assaulting stepdaughter

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A 43-YEAR-OLD Harare man appeared in court yesterday facing two counts of indecently assaulting his 12-year-old stepdaughter and offering a 10-cent bond coin to buy her silence.

Presiding magistrate Tendai Mahwe heard that the suspect, who cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity, allegedly had anal sex with the minor on two occasions sometime in December last year.

Mahwe remanded him in custody to February 25 this year for trial at the regional court. 

 It is the State’s case that on a date unknown to the prosecution, but in December 2015, the suspect stormed the juvenile’s bedroom and woke her up. He then gave her 10 cents, undressed and abused her.

It is also alleged that after the assault, he warned the minor not to tell anyone about the incident. The State further alleges that the suspect repeated the abuse on an unknown date, but during the same month.

The matter came to light when the minor alerted her mother on the abuse, leading to the accused’s arrest. Sharon Mashavira prosecuted the case. Newsday