Boy sodomised at church

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
A Harare teenager, who sodomised a 10-year-old boy after luring him to come out of a church service on the pretext that he wanted to buy him an ice-cream, will perform 530 hours of community service as punishment for the offence.
The 17-year-old boy from Marlborough, was also at the AFM church, Marlborough branch when he saw his victim in the company of his cousin.

He bought them ice-cream and took the victim into the church’s toilet where he indecently assaulted him.
The teenage boy pleaded guilty to the charge of aggravated indecent assault when he appeared before regional magistrate Mr Noel Mupeiwa.

Mr Mupeiwa sentenced him to five years in prison before setting aside 42 months on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining 18 months were suspended on condition that he performs 530 hours of community service at Marlborough clinic.

In passing the sentence, Mr Mupeiwa said; “The accused could have committed the offence out of immaturity. However, aggravated indecent assault is a serious offence which should be discouraged by the court.

“He started from a deeper end and therefore the sentence should reflect a measure of deterrence.”
Ms Karen Muyangwa of Muronda and Muyangwa Legal Practitioners, represented the teen offender.

Prosecutor Mrs Tinashe Kanyemba-Makiya, told the court that on December 22 last year at around 11am, the victim, who was in the company of his cousin, went outside the church building to enquire how much ice-cream cost.

They later went back inside without buying the ice-cream.
The victim’s cousin went out again and he met the accused, who then ordered him to call the victim so that he could buy them ice-cream.
The accused person bought the two ice-cream.

After they had eaten their ice cream, he asked the victim to accompany him to the toilet, leaving his cousin behind.
While in the church’s toilet, the accused asked the complainant to remove his trousers before sodomising him.

After the act, the complainant went back into the church building and alerted his mother who then made a report to the police.