SYDNEY MUBAIWA
CHIVHU- A 51 -year-old man from Chivhu was sentenced to an effective 40 years in prison after being convicted on two counts of aggravated indecent assault when he appeared before the Chivhu resident magistrate.
The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) in a statement said the victim is a 14 -year – old female who was subjected to aggravated indecent assault by her stepfather from 2021 to mid-2022, while the victim and her mother shared the same bedroom with the offender.
According to the NPAZ, the accused person would sneak into the juvenile’s blankets and fondle her breasts and buttocks, inserting his fingers into her private parts.
The victim reported this to her mother, who warned him to stop the behaviour.
This pattern of behaviour reportedly continued until the 10th of February, 2025 when the offender allegedly sneaked into the victim’s blankets, fondled her breasts and touched her private parts and the victim held his hand, resulting in the offender assaulting her with a fist to the stomach.
On 11 February, 2025, the victim reported the matter to her school guidance and counselling teacher who reported the case to police leading to the arrest of the offender.