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Victoria Falls Reporter
VICTORIA Falls resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani has given a 19-year-old Mkhosana man six days to formalise his relationship with the relatives of his pregnant 14-year-old girlfriend before she gives him his “appropriate” sentence. Innocent Sibindi was convicted of contravening Section 70 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23, “having extra-marital sexual intercourse with a young person”.
He pleaded not guilty saying that he was not aware of the minor’s age.
“You come back here on February 11 for your sentence but that will be based on what you would have done to show appreciation of your actions. The action you are going to take will determine your sentence. You must take your relatives to your girlfriend’s relatives and perform a traditional ceremony,” she said.
The prosecutor Takunda Ndovorwi told the court that on a date unknown to the State but sometime in October last year and at house number 6607 Mkhosana Township, Victoria Falls, Sibindi proposed love to the minor and she accepted.
Sibindi took her to his lodgings and had sexual intercourse with the girl with her consent. He went on to have sexual intercourse with her on three more occasions at his house knowing that she was a minor.
Their love stopped towards the end of October after they had a misunderstanding. The minor then discovered that she was pregnant at the end of November and did not tell anyone.
However, the matter came to light after the complainant’s father realised her change in behaviour and asked her aunt investigate.
The minor went on to tell her aunt that she was pregnant and that the man responsible was Sibindi.
The matter was reported to the police leading to his arrest.
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