Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, Zimpapers Reporter
A 27-year-old boilermaker from Mtapa suburb in Gweru has been sentenced to three years in prison for sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl, who is now pregnant.
The court heard how the boilermaker repeatedly subjected the minor to unnatural sexual acts, leaving her traumatised and in pain.
The victim bravely recounted the abuse, and her testimony was corroborated by medical evidence and witness accounts.
Appearing before Gweru Magistrate Mr Arnold Maburo, facing three counts of performing indecent acts with a child under Section 70(1)(a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act (Chapter 9:23), was Blessed Mlauzi.
He pleaded not guilty but was convicted after a full trial.
The magistrate sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment, suspending six months on condition of good behaviour. While delivering the sentence, Mr Maburo condemned Mlauzi’s actions, describing the case as a grave violation of a vulnerable child’s dignity and bodily integrity.
“The evidence before this court was clear and credible. The complainant, though young, demonstrated remarkable courage in detailing what she endured,” said Mr Maburo.
He commended the prosecution, led by Mr Brandon Ndlovu, for presenting a precise and convincing case.
“The victim’s evidence was truthful, consistent, and reliable. Her testimony was supported by physical and circumstantial evidence.
“The accused is sentenced to three years in prison, of which six months is suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years,” said Mr Maburo.
Mr Ndlovu had urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, highlighting the 12-year age gap between the accused and the victim.
One elderly woman gasped audibly when the prosecutor described how Mlauzi introduced the child to what he termed unnatural sexual acts.
“Mlauzi is 27 years old, while the complainant is only 15. The disparity in age makes this case aggravating.
Such offenders must be punished to reflect society’s condemnation of sexual abuse,” he said.
In mitigation, Mlauzi’s plea for leniency — citing his pregnant girlfriend and elderly parents — was dismissed.
“I plead with the court to give me a non-custodial sentence so that I can look after my girlfriend. I am also the sole breadwinner for my elderly parents,” he said, but the magistrate was unmoved.
The court heard that Mlauzi was in a romantic relationship with the minor (name withheld to protect her identity), a Form One pupil at a private college in Gweru.
Although the complainant was described as having appeared consenting, the magistrate emphasised that a 15-year-old cannot legally consent to sexual activity.
The court heard that between July and August 2025, at a house in Mtapa, Gweru, Mlauzi committed repeated acts of indecency against the girl.
On the first count, he unlawfully solicited the child to take part in an indecent act—exposing himself and performing a sexual act.
On the second count, the court found that Mlauzi engaged in anal sexual intercourse with the minor on three separate occasions, leaving her in pain and distress.
He denied the charge, but the victim’s account was supported by medical findings and witness testimony.
The third count involved vaginal penetration, which both the victim and the accused confirmed had caused bleeding.
The matter came to light when it was discovered that the complainant was pregnant.
She then narrated her ordeal, leading to Mlauzi’s arrest.
