A 46-year-old man from Mutasa has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping his 91-year-old aunt three times in one night, while separate cases in Nyanga and Penhalonga have brought other intimate family relationships before traditional and police authorities.
The cases are distinct. In Mutasa, a magistrate convicted Gabriel Chisi of rape after a trial. In Nyanga, a traditional court heard a married couple’s dispute over the wife’s relationship with her husband’s younger brother and ruled on a customary taboo. In Penhalonga, police are investigating a 70-year-old man over reports of historical abuse of his daughter.
15 years for attack on elderly aunt
The court heard that the attack happened on the night of September 8 at the family home in Chitowa Village, under Chief Mutasa. The woman was sleeping in a kitchen hut with Chisi when he raped her. She cried out for help, but the assault continued.
The 91-year-old told the court what had happened as Chisi denied the charge. “He raped me three times while everyone else was asleep,” she said.
The woman asked Chisi during the assault why he was treating her that way. He did not answer, the court heard.
Her account was supported by testimony from Chisi’s elder brother, Kasiwami, who said the woman told him about the assault the following morning. “The complainant told me that Gabriel had raped her. I questioned my brother, but he denied the crime,” Kasiwami said.
The family first took the matter to the village head, who reportedly ordered a cleansing ceremony, known as chenura, because of the seriousness of the case. The matter was reported to ZRP Mutasa on September 11 under case number CR 12/09/26. The woman was taken to Bonda Mission Hospital for a medical examination.
Chisi rejected the charge and told the court he had slept with his children. “On that day, I arrived home early and greeted the complainant. Later, we went to sleep. I slept with my children—one in primary school and the other in Form One,” he claimed.
Mutasa magistrate Ms Annie Ndiraya rejected his account and found that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. The prosecution was led by Ms Nomathemba Sayi. In sentencing him, Ndiraya said Chisi had betrayed the trust of a woman who regarded him as a son because he was her brother’s child.
“She saw you as a son because you are her brother’s child. Instead of protecting her, you took advantage of her vulnerability and abused her. When she cried out, you should have protected her, not harmed her,” said Ms Ndiraya.
The magistrate said the woman’s age, her vulnerability and the breach of trust within the family weighed heavily in the sentence. Chisi was a first-time offender, a widower and a father of five, but the court decided those factors did not outweigh the gravity of the crime. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Nyanga marriage dispute heard by Chief Hata
In a separate case in Nyanga, Peter Munazvo brought his younger brother, Amos, before Chief Hata’s court, accusing him of having an affair with Peter’s wife, Maria Mandikonza. Peter said the relationship had broken up his marriage and had begun after Amos moved into his home in 2010 while looking for work.
“I was living with my wife while working in Harare when Amos asked to stay with us while he looked for a job. What shocked me was that he started an affair with my wife while I was at work,” Peter said.
He said Maria later admitted the relationship, prompting him to seek help from church elders. Peter said he forgave them after counselling, when both promised the relationship would end.
“The matter was taken to the church, where we were counseled. I forgave the two after they promised that they would not continue their romance,” he said.
Peter said he moved to South Africa in 2020 and, the following year, heard from an older brother that Amos was ill and wanted to confess. Peter said Amos admitted to being with Maria while Peter was away and claimed he had also been involved with two other female relatives. Peter said Maria later confirmed that she and Amos were in love.
“My older brother told me that Amos was very ill and wanted to confess. He admitted that he had slept with my wife in my absence and also claimed he was involved with two other female relatives. When I questioned my wife, she admitted they were in love and told me to leave her alone,” he said.
Peter said he tried to end the marriage in 2022, but relatives favoured mediation. He later said he demolished the house where Maria was staying after she would not leave the homestead. He told the court that police advised the family to take the dispute to the local community court.
“[Maria] refused to leave even though we had separated, as she wanted to continue living with Amos. She did not want to return to her parents’ home. The police eventually advised us to bring the matter to the local community court,” he said.
Amos did not deny being in a relationship with his brother’s wife. “It is true that I am in love with my brother’s wife. If he wants, I can take her as my own wife,” he said.
Maria said she was willing to live with Amos and accused Peter of failing to support her and the family while he was in South Africa. She also said his attention had shifted to another woman.
“I can live with Amos if he wants me. My husband quit his job a long time ago. While he was in South Africa, he sent very little money for my upkeep. Right now, his mind is on his new wife,” she said.
Chief Hata advised Peter to formally end the marriage by paying the traditional divorce token, gupuro, in front of Maria’s relatives, who were present at the hearing. The chief also instructed Peter to escort Maria to her parents’ home. He found Amos guilty of makunakuna, a customary taboo involving a sexual relationship with a close relative’s spouse, and fined him one head of cattle.
Police investigate historical abuse report
In Penhalonga, police are investigating a separate report involving a 70-year-old man from Mutungagore, under Village Head Ziniga, who is accused of raping his daughter over a number of years. Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the man’s name and the woman’s name were being withheld.
The case, recorded as CR264/07/26, was reported to ZRP Penhalonga in July 2026. Police say the alleged abuse took place between 1996 and 2001, beginning when the girl was 11. She is now 41 and married.
“A case was reported to our ZRP Penhalonga station in Manicaland regarding a man who allegedly raped his daughter over a long period. Although the incidents occurred years ago, the matter was formally reported in July 2026, and our officers are now investigating,” said Comm Nyathi.
“The crimes were allegedly committed between 1996 and 2001. It is reported that when the abuse began in 1996, the complainant was only 11 years old, and the abuse continued until 2001,” Comm Nyathi added.
The father had divorced the girl’s mother and was living with his daughter, police said. The woman came forward after experiencing difficulties in her marriage and other misfortunes, according to the account of the case.
“Our officers are proceeding with the investigation. We encourage the public to report such cases promptly so that evidence can be gathered effectively while it is still fresh. However, as the police, we maintain that a crime does not rot (there is no expiry date for justice),” said Comm Nyathi.
A separate case in 2025 also resulted in a lengthy prison term for sexual abuse within a family. A 47-year-old police officer was sentenced to 21 years after being convicted of repeatedly raping his Grade 7 daughter. The court heard that the abuse began in August 2024 and continued into 2025; the girl eventually confided in friends and a teacher, who helped her report it.