Online Reporter
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A 74-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo’s New Lobengula suburb, accused of sexually attacking three minors while a fourth child watched, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Amendo Nyathi was also charged with making the children watch porn.
He gave one of them US$1 to buy his silence.
In trying to dodge the bullet, he gave a nauseating defence in court.
Nyathi claimed he did not sexually attack the children, aged nine, 10 and 11, but only told them to play with his private parts.
He said he was not on good terms with the parent of one of the victims and believed that this parent influenced the children to make false accusations against him.
“I strongly believe the woman wants to ruin my reputation and get me jailed,” he said.
Nyathi admitted to keeping pornographic material on his phone but insisted he never forced the minors to watch it.
“I asked one of the children to look for a certain cellphone number. Unfortunately, she found the pornographic material and started watching,” he explained.
He claimed that the girl and her friends came to watch later. “I’m too old to engage in sex. I’m now 74. My health problems make it difficult,” he said.
Prosecutor Jethro Mada told the court that the abuse began in 2023 when Nyathi invited a nine-year-old girl to his home.
She came with two friends. Upon arrival, he handed his cellphone to the girl while a pornographic film was playing.
He then took her to his bedroom, asked her to undress, removed his own clothes, and sexually assaulted her, giving her US$1 and instructing her not to tell anyone.
The following day, Nyathi invited another nine-year-old girl and her friend to his home. He again handed his cellphone to the girl to watch pornography and promised her money.
While they watched, he allegedly asked to have sex with them, lifted them to his bedroom, undressed, and sexually assaulted them.
The incidents came to light when one of the victims told her sister, who then informed their parents, leading to Nyathi’s arrest.
He appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mark Dzira, who found him guilty and sentenced him to 20 years in prison, despite his plea of not guilty.
