A 23-year-old Zimbabwean man has been dragged to court after he allegedly raped an eight-year-old girl while the girl’s four-year-old sibling watched helplessly.

The accused Muktar Madaresa Kassim appeared before magistrate Archie Wochiunga and he pleaded not guilty.

He was remanded in custody to a date to be advised for commencement of trial. Magistrate Wochinga advised Kassim to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecutor Llyod Mavhiza told the court that on a day not known to the prosecutor but during the month of March this year in their village, Kassim met the complainant who was fetching firewood with her siblings.

“On an unknown date but in the month of March, the accused met the complainant in a bush where she was fetching firewood together with her four-year-old brother,” he said.

The court heard that Kassim dragged the girl into a pit where he allegedly raped her once.

“The accused person dragged the girl to a shallow pit while her brother watched haplessly. He removed her skirt and panties before raping her once.

“After the incident, Kassim threatened to kill both the girl and her younger brother if they ever told anyone about the incident. He also promised to buy them sweets if they kept the incident among the three of them,” said Mavhiza.

The matter came to light when the complainant’s four-year-old brother narrated the ordeal to their mother who then reported the matter to the police leading to Kassim’s arrest.