admin
Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A BULILIMA man will spend the next six months in prison for fondling a teacher after accosting her in a toilet.
Gerald Khahlu, 65, of Silima village followed a 34-year-old Silima Primary School teacher into the toilet and started fondling her breasts and caressing her while her three-year-old daughter watched.
Khahlu was sentenced to nine months in prison by Plumtree magistrate, Gideon Ruvetsa for indecent assault.
The magistrate suspended three months on condition that Khahlu does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
Ruvetsa told the villager that he should have used a more civilised way of expressing his feelings to the teacher rather than following her to the toilet while she relieved herself.
Khahlu had told the magistrate that he had a secret crush on the woman.
“I’ve always admired her and when I saw her entering the toilet I followed her inside with the hope that she would agree to have sexual intercourse with me. I had no intention to harm her. I just wanted to express my feelings towards her and I didn’t think that she would be offended by my approach,” said Khahlu.
Prosecuting, Clemence Shawarira said Khahlu followed the woman to the toilet on July 26 at around 10AM.
“The woman who stays at Silima Primary School proceeded to the toilet to relieve herself in the company of her three-year-old child.
The child remained outside and a few minutes later she came rushing into the toilet and warned her mother that a man was approaching,” said Shawarira.
“Khahlu then entered the toilet and blocked the woman from leaving. He then fondled her breasts and touched her all over the body. He pushed her against the wall and demanded to have sexual intercourse with her whilst in the toilet.”
He said the teacher screamed for help but no one heard her.
She then managed to push Khahlu away and fled from the toilet with her daughter.
Shawarira said the teacher reported the matter to the police resulting in Khahlu’s arrest.
Online Reporter