Bulawayo – A 39-year-old Zimbabwean man has been arrested after he reportedly killed his 8-year-old stepdaughter whom he forced to sit on a tin with boiling water.
According to the state-owned Chronicle newspaper, Levius Ncube who was also accused of repeatedly raping the girl, was arrested by villagers and handed over to the police last Saturday.
The villagers cornered Ncube in a bush and effected citizen's arrest.
Police spokesperson Charity Charamba confirmed the incident.
In an attempt to conceal raping and assaulting the girl, Ncube apparently forced her to sit on top of a tin with boiling water.
"Police are investigating a case of murder which occurred in Moyo Village in Lupane. A male adult aged 39 assaulted his 8-year-old stepdaughter and she sustained a swollen eye. In a bid to treat her, the stepdad boiled some water and covered the 8-year-old with a blanket. She lost consciousness, fell on the bucket and got burnt. She later passed away the following day and the accused ran away," Charamba was quoted as saying.
This came just a day after a 36-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping his girlfriend's 11-year-old daughter while her younger siblings aged 4 and 6 years watched.
Vusumuzi Maphosa appeared in court in Plumtree and was remanded until January 24.
Maphosa allegedly broke into the hut in which the three siblings were sleeping on December 5 at around 22:00 and raped the juvenile once before fleeing the scene.