Thubelihle Mabhena Court reporter
A 32-YEAR-OLD gardener fondled his employer’s four-year-old daughter while the two were watching television, a court heard yesterday. Bekezela Nyoni of Malindela suburb was sitting on the couch with the girl while watching television on Friday last week at around 3PM, when he allegedly committed the offence.
He allegedly asked her to sit next to him but she refused. Nyoni, the court heard, grabbed her hand and dragged her towards him while her aunt was in the bedroom.
Nyoni allegedly lifted the girl’s skirt and removed her panties telling her that he wanted to remove something from her private parts.
He allegedly fondled the girl’s private parts until she screamed and a panic-stricken Nyoni took to his heels. Nyoni appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Charity Maphosa facing a charge of indecent assault.
He pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody to March 26 for trial.
Magistrate Maphosa transferred the matter to the Victim Friendly Court because it involves a juvenile and can therefore not be heard in open court.



