A 51-year-old from Mahatshula North, Bulawayo, was arraigned before a magistrate facing charges of indecent assault after he repeatedly fondled his 12-year-old stepdaughter’s buttocks.
The alleged abuse occurred on three separate occasions.
The suspect whose name is being withheld to protect the victim was not asked to plead to three counts of indecent assault as defined in Section 67 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Busani Sibanda.
He was remanded in custody to 8 December 2022.
Allegations are that on an unknown date but sometime in October this year the man arrived home at night and found the complainant who is a Grade Six pupil sleeping.
He allegedly removed his pair of trousers and sneaked into her blankets and fondled her buttocks.
After abusing his stepdaughter, the man reportedly ordered her not to tell anyone.
The suspect allegedly attacked the minor in the same manner on 22 October 2022 when he found her cleaning the house, and also on 31 October 2022 when arrived home at night and found his stepdaughter sleeping.
On 1 November 2022, the victim allegedly revealed the ordeal to her class teacher who then advised her to tell her cousin.
The matter was then reported to the police leading to the man’s arrest. | B-Metro