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Patrick Chitumba
Midlands Bureau Chief
GWERU provincial magistrate Ms Beaulity Dube has sentenced a newly-wedded church deacon to seven months in prison after convicting him of indecently assaulting two teenage girls from his congregation.
Appearing before Ms Dube was Word of Life International Ministries church deacon Edson Ushe (43) facing two counts of inappropriately kissing and touching the private parts and back of two Form 2 students.
Ushe pleaded not guilty to both counts, but was convicted following overwhelming evidence against him after a full trial.
Ms Dube sentenced him to seven months in prison before suspending three months of his sentence on condition of good behaviour.
An additional four months of Ushe’s sentence was wholly-suspended on condition he pays a fine of US$400.
The court heard that the deacon abused the girls (names withheld to protect their identity) when their parents were away.
For the State, Ms Monica Mungwena, told the court that on Christmas Eve last year, while the minors’ parents were in Bulawayo, Ushe visited their residence around 7pm and stayed for approximately 30 minutes.
The court heard that Ushe requested the girls to accompany him to his vehicle.
As one of the minors’ brothers went back into the house to fetch a drink, leaving the girls momentarily alone with Ushe, the deacon seized the opportunity to carry out his predatory actions.
“While the girls’ brother was inside the house, Ushe brazenly dragged the first complainant by her waist, touched her private parts, and fondled her buttocks.
“The second complainant was not spared from Ushe’s reprehensible behaviour either,” said Ms Mungwena.
The court heard that Ushe halted his advances upon noticing the girls’ brother returning with the drink he had asked for.
The court heard that Ushe proceeded to ask the second complainant to accompany him to his vehicle under the guise of opening the gate.
Once at the gate, the court heard that the church deacon halted the car, approached the second complainant, and reportedly kissed her on the forehead before inappropriately touching her buttocks.
Following the inappropriate advances made by Ushe, the girl courageously pushed him away and fled back to the safety of her residence.
There, she confided in her brother, recounting the traumatic experience she had endured at the hands of the church deacon.
Her brother wasted no time in informing their parents about the distressing ordeal that had unfolded in their absence.
The parents immediately reported the matter to the police, leading to the church deacon’s arrest.
Online Reporter