Zimbabwe: A man allegedly raped his 12-year-old daughter before selling her off to a village prophet in a bid to conceal the crime.

The prophet took in the 12-year-old juvenile as his fifth wife and reportedly raped her multiple times.

According to a report by Manica Post,  the shocking incident was revealed when the minor fled the cleric’s house to a nearby bush where she met a Good Samaritan who then assisted her to make a police report.

The police report was made at a local Police Post leading to the arrest of the father and the cleric.

Manicaland Province deputy police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Luxton Chananda said the police are investigating the case of a 41-year-old man who allegedly raped his daughter and married her off to a prophet to conceal the crime.

To protect the identity of the victim the name of her 41-year old father cannot be named while the prophet has been identified as 35-year-old Lukas Hondo.

Asst Insp Chananda said sometime last year the complainant and her two siblings were invited by their father to spend the night in his bedroom where they all slept on the same bed.

After the act, the 41-year-old man threatened to kill his daughter if she told anyone about their little secret.

Realising that he had committed a serious crime the man then married off his daughter to Lukas Hondo just days after he had raped her.

On arrival, Lukas Hondo’s second wife reportedly prepared a room for her husband and the minor. Hondo then raped and abused the girl for days on end before she fled to a nearby bush.

Manica Post reports that the girl spent a number of days hiding in the bush before starvation forced her to come out of hiding and seek assistance from a Good Samaritan who was passing by.

After the matter was reported to the police, the girl was taken for medical examinations.