Herdboy rapes employer's daughter

A MAN employed as a herdboy in Lupane has appeared in court charged with rape after sexually abusing his employer's daughter.

The accused, allegedly instructed the complainant to implicate her stepfather when he raped her on several occasions, between December last year and last week.

The complainant is a 13-year-old girl who was left in his custody by her parents when they traveled during the festive season.

Dube was not asked to plead to rape when he appeared before Lupane magistrate Ms. Barbara Phiri on Tuesday.

The magistrate remanded the accused in custody until 14 March.

"On an unknown date but during the month of December the accused invited the complainant to his bedroom and instructed her to lie down facing upwards," said the prosecutor.

The court was told that Dube raped the complainant once and instructed her not to disclose the matter to anyone.

The accused then allegedly went on to have sexual intercourse with the girl without her consent on numerous occasions whenever her parents were away and told her to implicate her stepfather in the event that the matter came to light.

On 19 February the complainant's mother through a tip-off interrogated her daughter, who then opened up to her.

A report was made to the police on Monday and the complainant was referred to St Luke's Hospital for medical examination.