Gweru man gets over 3 years in prison for sex with minor
By Dumisani Ndlovu
A Zimbabwean man, in the Midlands capital, Gweru was sentenced in a local Magistrate court to 3 years in prison for having sex with a young person.
Talent Mpofu, 27, of Woodlands faced sentencing Thursday in Gweru Magistrate court, after he finally pleaded guilty to one count of having sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old minor several days on different occasions.
According to Public Prosecutor, Taurai Mavuto on an unknown date but during the month of March and early April 2023, Mpofu, proposed love to the girl. After the girl accepted the proposal, during the same month, the girl visited the man at his place where he requested to have sex with her and the girl agreed,” he said.
Prosecutor Mavuto added that the minor and the man would thereafter have sex on different occasions until luck ran out of the accused. The matter came to light on 21 January 2024 when the girl’s mother accompanied her to the police to file a report. Mpofu was arrested after the mother reported the matter to the police.
Gweru Magistrate, Nixon Mangoti expressed concern over the increase of cases of adults having sexual intercourse with minors.
“There has been an alarming increase in the number of reported cases of child sexual abuse in Zimbabwe. So many factors have also contributed to the high rate of child sexual abuse, it is therefore our duty as a court to see to it that justice has taken its course,” said Magistrate Mangoti.
In passing the sentence he said” I considered that you are a first offender and all the litigations you expressed before this court. However, the court does not condone abuse of children, hence the court has to curb the malpractice by passing a deterrent sentence that will send a message to the community out there,” boldly said Magistrate Mangoti.
He said having sex with a minor is a serious crime that attract a minimum custodial sentence of 10 years when committed in aggravating circumstance. Magistrate Mangoti however said the case carries a lesser custodial sentence of a minimum of two year in prison if the case is of lesser aggravation.
“Given the fact that you had a protected consensual intercourse with the minor. Our duty as courts is to protect children from being harmed hence, I find you guilty of having sex with a young person as defined in section 70 (1) of the criminal law codification and reform act, Chapter 9:23.
“I sentence you to 3 years in prison, 1 year suspended on condition that you do not committee similar offence in the next 5 years. If you come back with such a crime within 5 years, the court will be left with no option but to augment the suspended year,” Magistrate Mangoti audaciously said.
The recent spike in child sexual abuse cases, some of which result in minors falling pregnant and then dying while giving birth is disturbing. What is more disheartening to note is that in the majority of these cases, parents and guardians who are expected to be protecting these minors, are being found either as perpetrators, or as facilitators of the abuse and even concealing these issues to protect the perpetrators.
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