Patrick Chitumba [email protected]
A KWEKWE councillor has appeared in court for allegedly having sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old Form Four pupil after promising to use his political influence to facilitate her enrolment in Child Parliament.
Alex Senge, the Ward 1 councillor for Kwekwe City Council, appeared before Kwekwe magistrate Ms Sharon Gava facing charges relating to sexual intercourse with a minor.
He was remanded to October 18.
The State alleges that between March and July this year, Senge repeatedly had sexual intercourse with the pupil despite allegedly knowing, or realising there was a real possibility, that she was under the age of 18.
According to the State, Senge first met the complainant at Hunters bus stop in Mbizo suburb, Kwekwe, in March, when she was wearing her school uniform.
He allegedly offered her a lift to town and promised to use his political influence to facilitate her enrolment in Child Parliament.
The court heard that Senge gave the pupil his cellphone number and asked her to contact him when auditions for Child Parliament were being held.
Later that month, he allegedly bought her a Samsung A07 smartphone to facilitate communication before taking her to a lodge in the Chicago area of Kwekwe, where they allegedly had sexual intercourse.
The State further alleges that similar encounters took place at lodges in the same area towards the end of April and again in July.
Senge is also accused of infecting the complainant with a sexually transmitted infection (STI). He allegedly subsequently bought her a new SIM card and smartphone in an attempt to silence her.
A report was made to the police following a tip-off, leading to Senge’s arrest.
