NEW: Bikita man caged 20 years after son catches him raping sister

The Sunday Mail

George Maponga in MASVINGO

A Bikita man has been jailed for 20 years for raping his teenage stepdaughter after his son, who peeped through the door as he committed the offence, caught him red-handed.

Layton Masuna (56) of Zimbandi Village under Chief Mkanganwi will serve an effective 17 years behind bars after Magistrate Ms Patience Madondo conditionally suspended three years of the sentence on condition of good behaviour.

Masuna was convicted of rape at the end of trial owing to overwhelming evidence against him.

It is the State’s case that Masuna’s wife was away herding cattle when he pounced on his 13-year-old stepdaughter after the two had been left home alone.

On the day in question, sometime in March this year, Masuna called his stepdaughter to his bedroom hut and started raping her.

The victim began crying as he raped her, prompting the man’s alert son, who was on his way from school, to investigate.

He peeped through the door and then spilled the beans to his mother when she returned home. A report was made to the police, leading to Masuna’s arrest.