The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube
A 68-YEAR-OLD Bulilima man has been jailed after he was caught while undressing his six-year-old granddaughter during a suspected attempt to rape her.
Khumbulani Moyo who is from Matjinge area was sentenced to six months imprisonment when he was convicted of indecent assault by Plumtree magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa.
Three months of his sentence were suspended for five years on condition that he does not within the period commit an offence of the same nature.
Moyo who stays with his daughter’s family was caught half-dressed by the juvenile’s mother.
He had proceeded to his daughter’s bedroom with the juvenile under the pretext of putting her to bed but went on to undress her after taking off his own pants.
Prosecuting, Mr Clemence Shawarira said Moyo committed the offence on his Grade One granddaughter on 25 March around 8pm.
He said the complainant told her mother that she wanted to sleep and her grandfather offered to accompany her after indicating that he wanted to collect his cellphone.
“Moyo took the complainant to the bedroom and after 20 minutes his daughter followed to see what was transpiring since her father had taken long to return.
“The complainant’s mother peeped through the bedroom window and she saw her father lying half naked next to her daughter who also did not have any panties on. The juvenile was asleep,” said Mr Shawarira.
He said the complainant’s mother then proceeded to the door and confronted her father who pointed out that he had made a mistake.
She then inspected her daughter’s body to check whether she had been sexually abused and then reported the matter to the police.
In his mitigation Moyo told the court that he was not sure what had overcome him when he committed the offence.
“To be honest I was not aware of what I was doing Your Worship. I only realised when my daughter walked on me naked lying next to my little granddaughter.
“I love my family a lot and I would not do anything to hurt any of them. I do not know what had come over me on that day,” said Moyo.
In another incident, a 17-year-old cattle minder was warned, cautioned and discharged by Plumtree magistrate Mr Livard Philemon for indecently assaulting his employer’s eight-year-old granddaughter.
The court heard that Nelson Ndlovu of Ntunungwe area in Bulilima rubbed his manhood against the thighs of the complainant while she was sleeping.
In passing his sentence Mr Philemon warned Ndlovu against engaging in any activity of sexual abuse.
Prosecuting, Mr Clemence Shawarira said on 9 March around 9pm the juvenile was asleep with her younger sister with the door unlocked and Ndlovu took advantage and sneaked into their room.
“The complainant felt Ndlovu lying on top of her backside as she was facing down. She then felt him rub his penis against her thighs and she screamed and the noise alerted her grandmother who found Ndlovu standing outside the bedroom hut,” he said.
He said the matter was reported to the police resulting in Ndlovu’s arrest.
