Online Reporter
Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
A 39-YEAR-OLD man from Musuna in Hwange District has been slapped with an effective 19-year jail term after he was convicted of indecent assault and aggravated indecent assault committed against his 36-year-old cousin-in-law.
The man, preyed on the complainant on two separate occasions at her homestead in Breamland Gardens, terrorising her over a period of days before she finally reported the matter to the police.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the first attack occurred on August 31, 2025, at around 10 PM when the offender crept into the complainant’s mosquito net while she was sleeping face down.
He clasped her from behind before caressing her body. When she awoke and confronted him, he fled, but not before bizarrely promising her “sugar beans” as payment for keeping silent.
Although the shaken complainant told her husband, he initially urged her not to report the incident, opting instead to protect his younger brother.
This silence emboldened the offender, who returned on September 2, 2025, at around 11 PM and again slipped under the mosquito net while the complainant slept.
Prosecutors said the man forcibly grabbed the woman’s hands, inserted his finger into her private parts, and continued to assault her until he realised she was menstruating.
He reportedly panicked, pleaded for forgiveness, and again offered beans as an attempt to buy her silence.
He also asked her to sweep away his footprints.
This time, the complainant refused to remain silent and immediately reported the matter to the police, leading to his arrest.
The Hwange Regional Court found him guilty on both counts, sentencing him to 11 months in prison for indecent assault for the first count and 18 years for aggravated indecent assault.
The NPA condemned the offender’s conduct, stressing that sexual crimes would be dealt with decisively.
“The courts will not treat sexual offenders with kid gloves. The sanctity of a woman’s body and the safety of her home must be respected. Family ties should never be used as a shield to silence victims of abuse,” the authority said.
The NPA also reiterated its commitment to ensuring justice for survivors of gender-based violence, reminding communities that silence only emboldens perpetrators.
