A BIKITA woman watched for a year as her son se_xually abused his 15-year-old step sister, telling the victim that the abuse was a way of bonding the children together, a local court heard Thursday.

The details emerged during the trial of Terence Peter, 23, from Village Mukavhi under Chief Mazungunye Bikita who appeared before regional magistrate Judith Zuyu facing rape charges.

The suspect pleaded not guilty to the rape charge and was remanded to 16 May when magistrate Zuyu is expected to hand down judgement.

Peter denied the charge telling the court that the teenager was fabricating the rape allegations after the two had exchanged words over a family issue.

Prosecutor Sophia Busvumani told the court that Peter started abusing his sister sometime in January 2014 after the two were left alone at home.

Court heard that after the first attack, the girl reported the abuse to her step mother Elizabeth Chapwanya who is Peter’s biological mom, but she told her not to tell anyone of the incident as it was a family custom of bonding step-children together.

The attacks continued on numerous occasions each time the two were left alone at home or in nearby bushes when the girl would have gone to fetch firewood.

The prosecutor said the girl would, after each attack, report the abuse to her step mother who kept on telling her to remain quiet.

The matter came to light on 28 July last year when the girl informed her blood brother of the rape and he escorted her to file a police report, leading to the arrest of Peter.

The teen was taken to Silveria Hospital where she was medically examined and a medical report was produced in court as evidence.

Source-New Zimbabwe