A 63-YEAR-OLD security guard from Bulawayo has been charged with raping his 13-year-old stepdaughter left in his care by his wife.

The man from old Magwegwe appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Shepherd Mjanja and was further remanded in custody. Prosecutors said sometime in December last year, the accused called the girl into the kitchen to give her food.

When the girl bent down to collect the food, he allegedly grabbed her and dragged her to the bedroom where he raped her before threatening to kill her with a knife if she revealed the matter to anyone.

Sometime in January, he allegedly called the juvenile but fearing that he might rape her again she ed to stay in Old Magwegwe.

The matter came to light on April 15 when the girl reported the abuse to her mother.