In a heart-wrenching case that has left the residents of Bulawayo in shock, a 38-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sodomising a 5-year-old boy. The heinous act took place on the night of July 7th, when the accused lured the innocent child away from his home with a packet of biscuits.
According to a statement released by the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), the man took the child to a secluded spot where he sexually abused him several times throughout the night. At around 5 am, a witness saw the accused carrying the child back to his parent’s home. The witness raised the alarm, prompting the accused to put the child down and flee the scene. He was eventually caught and a citizen’s arrest was effected.
The case was heard in the Bulawayo Magistrates Court, where the accused pleaded guilty to the charge of aggravated indecent assault. In handing down the sentence, the magistrate expressed his disgust at the crime, stating that it was a serious offence that deserved a harsh punishment. The magistrate also urged parents and guardians to be vigilant and protect their children from sexual predators.
The 20-year sentence handed down in this case sends a strong message that child sexual abuse will not be tolerated in Zimbabwe. However, it is only one step towards addressing the larger problem.
In recent years, there have been an increase in cases of child sexual abuse in Zimbabwe, including the case of a 46-year-old man who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping his stepdaughter over a period of five years. In another case, a 55-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping his 13-year-old niece.
