Chronicle Editor
Michelle Gwizi, Chronicle Reporter
EIGHT street kids have appeared in court for taking turns to sodomise a 12-year-old boy whom they had drugged for more than a week after he ran away from home in Bulawayo.
Thembinkosi Siziba (22), Elton Ndlovu (19), Tafadzwa Zvou (19) and five other minors who cannot be named for ethical reasons yesterday appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi facing charges of aggravated indecent assault.
The magistrate remanded them in custody to June 20 and advised them to apply for bail at the High Court.
Magistrate Mkhwananzi said he was remanding them in custody because they were of no fixed abode as they live on the streets.
The court heard that the boy who was sodomised ran away from home after his grandmother had said she wanted to beat him up as a way of disciplining him.
Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said on May 24 this year, the 12-year-old boy ran away from home after being reprimanded by his grandmother.
“The complainant met one of the accused persons who took him to a disused building at Corner 11th Avenue and JMN Nkomo Street, Bulawayo where they met the rest of the accused persons.
“While at the building they made the complainant sniff drugs resulting in him passing out,” said Mr Dlodlo.
He said the accused persons took turns to sodomise him until he passed out.
Mr Dlodlo said the complainant woke up on the following day feeling pain in his anus.
“The 12-year-old boy spent a week staying with the accused persons and would be given drugs to knock him out everyday so they would take turns to sodomise him. He always woke up undressed and his anus would be painful and soiled,” he said.
Mr Dlodlo said the complainant was picked up by some well-wishers who took him back home on June 1. The complainant told his mother about what had happened and the matter was reported to the police.
The boy was medically examined and the medical report was produced in court as an exhibit. — @gwizi_n.
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