Sex with juvenile earns man (21) 36 months in jail

Every court in Zimbabwe has got its rules of procedure

A 21-YEAR-OLD man from Lobengula West suburb in Bulawayo has been sentenced to 36 months in prison for having sexual relationship with a juvenile (16).

The man who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim pleaded guilty to the charges when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate, Mr Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe.

Twelve months of the sentence were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.

The remaining 24 months were suspended on condition that he performs 840 hours of community service.

In passing the sentence, Mr Chikwekwe said the court took into consideration that the offender and the victim were in a relationship and the offender pleaded guilty to the offence hence not wasting the court’s time.

“Both the offender and the complainant were reckless as they were having sexual intercourse without protection, there was a possibility of pregnancy, contracting sexually transmitted disease, HIV and Aids,” he said.

“The complainant is at high risk as this might affect her in the future when she wants to start a family if any damages were done. Cases of having sexual relationships with juveniles has become common in the western suburbs.

“The sentence was crafted to deter both the offender and other potentials from engaging in sexual relationship with juveniles’ related offences and as a reminder of the legal repercussions associated with such offences, reinforcing the idea that such actions will not be tolerated in the community,” said Mr Chikwekwe.

Prosecuting, Ms Christine Kufandikwanwe Dube said the alleged sexual offence happened when the complainant visited the offender at his place of residence. The court heard that the complainant and the offender were in a relationship.

“The offender and the complainant were in a relationship that started sometime in September 2024 and during the same month the complainant visited her boyfriend, the offender’s place of residence and had consensual sexual intercourse without protection once,” said Ms Kufandikanwe.

“Since then the duo would have sexual intercourse on several occasions without protection at the offender’s place of residents.”

The matter come to light when the complainant’s cousin brother saw them sleeping together at the offender’s place of residence and told the complainant’s mother who reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of the offender.