A 31-year-old married man from Mabhungu Village, Chiwundura, Midlands Province, has been sentenced to five years in prison for incest.
The man, whose identity is being withheld to protect the identity of the victim, pleaded guilty to impregnating his 14-year-old sister. Gweru provincial Magistrate Beaulity Dube handed down the sentence, suspending one year on condition of good behaviour, resulting in an effective four-year prison term.
The court heard that the abuse occurred repeatedly between August and December 2024, resulting in the girl’s pregnancy. The matter came to light when the girl’s mother noticed her daughter’s pregnancy. She sought confirmation at the Johane Masowe Church, after which a police report was filed. A medical examination at Gweru Provincial Hospital confirmed the pregnancy, leading to the man’s arrest.
Separately, in Shurugwi, Magistrate Sithabile Zungula has recused herself from a case involving Shurugwi Town ward 7 Councillor Tapson Chitungo, citing undisclosed reasons. Chitungo faces fraud charges for allegedly illegally leasing council land in the central business district to three tenants.
Chitungo, who was arrested in October 2024 and is currently out on bail, is accused of misrepresenting himself as the landowner to three individuals: Carlson Tashaya (21), Faith Goromondo (18), and Mandla Peter Ndlovu. He allegedly collected rent from each of them, receiving $115 from Tashaya, US$453 from Goromondo, and US$250 from Ndlovu.
The fraudulent scheme unravelled when the council served eviction notices on the tenants on 3 July 2024. Despite Chitungo’s advice to resist eviction, the tenants were evicted on 15 July, and their structures were demolished by municipal police.
The tenants subsequently revealed to council officials that they were paying rent to Chitungo, leading to his arrest. The case will now be heard at Gweru Magistrates Court.
