Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba
MICHAEL Jackson, a Gweru traffic cop who was jailed for bedding a 14-year-old girl has walked free after the Masvingo High Court quashed his conviction — a ruling that has reignited calls for parents to stay alert as predators often hide in plain sight.
Constable Jackson (32), once sentenced to five years in prison for having sex with a minor, is now a free man after Justice Garainesu Mawadze ruled that the conviction be set aside “by consent.”
Jackson had appealed through his lawyer, Esau Mandipa of Mandipa, Makwara and Chikukwa Legal Practice.
Under Zimbabwean law, a child under 18 cannot legally consent to sex — meaning what some call a “relationship” is actually abuse.
According to the court papers, Jackson, stationed at Gweru Traffic Section, lured his 14-year-old neighbour after she returned home late from a party and found her parents’ door locked.
He reportedly offered her a lift to town, bought her food at Milan Family Restaurant, and later parked outside Gweru Rural Police Station where he fondled her and had sex with her in his vehicle.
The following morning, the girl’s parents discovered she hadn’t slept at home and filed a police report, leading to Jackson’s arrest.
Although the High Court has cleared him, the case exposes how young girls can easily fall prey to manipulation by trusted figures.
Child rights advocates say such cases highlight the urgent need for open conversations between parents and children.
“Predators often use kindness, gifts or promises to win trust. Parents must talk to their children about boundaries and report any suspicious adult behaviour immediately,” said one social worker.
While Jackson may be free, the scars on the teenager — emotional and psychological — remain.
Lesson: Let this be a wake-up call. Protect your children. Trust no one with their innocence, even those in uniform.
