A 57-year-old man from Bulawayo was arrested, Sunday, after he was allegedly caught red-handed sexually abusing his 8-year-old niece.
The man is alleged to have first sexually assaulted his niece three years ago after she was left in his custody and he has been repeating the offence since then.
Bulawayo deputy police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the incident.
She said the man, whose name had been withheld to protect the identity of the child, was caught red-handed sexually assaulting the minor on Saturday night around 11 PM.
“Police have arrested a male adult aged 57 for rape. The accused is the complainant’s uncle. The complainant who is 8 and doing grade 3 was raped on several occasions by her uncle from the period extending from 2021 to 2023 when she was left alone in the custody of the accused person,” she said.
“On 11 February 2023 at around 2300 hours the informant was coming from a beer drink when he peeped through the accused person’s bedroom window and saw the complainant and the accused person lying on the accused person’s bed. He also noticed some movements which made him suspect that the accused person could be sexually abusing the complainant.”
Asst Insp Msebele said the informant then called in the neighbours and arrested the accused person.
She urged members of the public not to leave their children with untrustworthy relatives.
