Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
AN 84-year-old woman was yesterday jailed 15 years for sexually abusing a 17-year-old autistic student.
In return, Erica Gurure of Mufakose would pay the boy amounts that ranged from US$10 to US$15 to buy his silence.
She was found guilty after a full trial by Harare regional magistrate Letwin Rwodzi.
Autistic people struggle to communicate and interact with other people.
They even find it hard to understand how other people think or feel and can find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable.
The State, represented by Cecilia Mashingaidze, proved that sometime last year, Gurure met the boy on his way from school and asked him to accompany her to her house.
Upon arrival, she took the boy into her bedroom and ordered him to lie down.
She then forced herself on the boy and afterwards told him to go home and not to disclose the incident to anyone.
Gurure would call the boy and ‘rape’ him on numerous occasions and would pay him various amounts from US$10 to US$50.
The assault didn’t occur during the school holidays as the boy would visit his uncle.
The court heard that on February 14, the boy went to school and on his way back he met Gurure who took him to her house where she abused him once again.
Afterwards, she gave him US$10 and told him to go to the market where he bought two boxer shorts, a T-shirt and a pair of socks.
He then boarded a kombi to Ruwa and got lost in the area. He was assisted by a Good Samaritan who took him to Ruwa Police Station where he was reunited with his uncle.
