Mathias Mbonyeya, 30, appeared before Mr Makamera Waini facing rape charges.
Mbonyeya, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed that according to his own judgment the complainant was 17 in 2009 when they had their first sexual encounter which he said was by consent.
However, Mbonyeya's claims that intercourse was consensual were dismissed by the complainant who told the court that he forced her to sleep with him on all occasions.
As a result, Mbonyeya's statutory rape charge will be accordingly altered to a rape case and he is expected to appear before Mutare regional magistrate, Mr Trynos Utahwashe.
The girl was 13 when she was allegedly abused by Mbonyeya from Chipinge, Zimbabwe who is also her uncle.
He allegedly slept with the minor on several occasions when she was in Grade Three.
The State said the 'affair' was unearthed by the complainant's parents in 2011, who subsequently reported the matter to the police resulting in Mbonyeya's arrest.
- Manicapost
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