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Harmony Agere recently in Gweru
The involvement of minors in serious crimes has been on a worrying surge in recent years. More than ever before children as young as 14 are being convicted and sent to prison for committing offences such as rape, sodomy, robbery and even murder.
What motivates minors to commit crime? How do they cope with juvenile prison? What do they eat? Are they educated? And most importantly, are they rehabilitated?
In an attempt to answer some of these questions, The Sunday Mail Extra visited to the Whawha Young Offenders facility to interact with the juveniles there.
Below are some of the narratives given by the children on how they committed crime and how they are coping with life behind bars. The minors have been given fake names to protect their identities.
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Mike Khumbulani (17), rape
I came here in August 2014 and I was only 15 then. My crime was rape. I was accused of raping two girls who lived next door to us in Gokwe where I also lived with my parents. The girls were aged 15 and 11. I knew these girls since I was very young and we were very good friends. However, I started having sex with the older one and that’s when my problems started.
One day, police came and told me that I was under arrest for raping these two girls. I was taken to the police camp instantly and by the time I got there a docket charging me with six counts of rape had already been prepared.
I tried to tell the police that I didn’t rape, that I had only had sex with the older sister after she agreed but they did not listen. Instead they started making false accusations saying I threatened the girls with knives to get them to have intercourse with me, but this was all false.
I was found guilty because both the police and prosecution forced me to admit to the offence. The police were the first to threaten me saying they would beat me up until I was crippled. Then the prosecutor said if I denied the charges I would be thrown in jail for good.
A dubious medical report saying I did rape the girls was also presented in court as evidence so really I had no chance. As I was very young I only admitted to the offence because I was scared.
Fortunately the court treated all the six counts as one. Subsequently I was sentenced to 12 years, of which five years were suspended and I was left with seven. So far I have served over two years.
You can never say life here is good because you are not free, you don’t get some of the priviledges you get when you are at home. But that is not to say we are being treated badly here, the wardens are very kind to us and they always want to make us reform.
My typical day starts at seven in the morning when I wake up. From there I take a bath and go for porridge around eight. From porridge I go for lessons both to learn and to teach others.
I am doing my A-Levels in here and I am writing my exams in November. Since I am now doing Advanced Level, the wardens said I could teach others. After lessons we go for lunch between 11 and 12 from there we go to do other work or just go back to our cells and wait for supper. We use this time for a variety of social activities and studying as well.
Lunch and supper is sadza normally served with beans or vegetables but we get beef sometimes. The food is good enough to keep us healthy, it may not be what most of us want but it is not bad.
My parents visit often and when they come they bring me some food too. They accepted the whole issue and they are the ones who encourage me not to dwell on it. If all goes well and I pass my A-Levels I want to do human resources management.
I have learnt my lesson, I won’t do what I did again. If I go out I will make peace with these girls because I have already forgiven them. If anything I will continue my relationship with my girlfriend because I love her.
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Admiral Musariri (16), sodomy
I was brought here last month. This was after I went through a long trial in which I was being charged with sodomy. After I was found guilty the court said I should come and spend five years here and since I only came recently I will be around for a long time.
What happened is that sometime, over a year ago, when I was working as a domestic worker in Zhombe, my boss left me home with her four-year-old son. As the young boy liked me he didn’t have any problem being left behind by his mother who had gone to the shops.
It was around three in the afternoon and we then started watching a movie. Whilst we were watching the movie I suddenly felt the desire to be intimate. I don’t know if this was caused by some of the scenes we watched on television or something else.
Anyway, the next minute I found myself grabbing the boy and removing his clothes. He started crying but I only stopped after I had finished, I don’t know what got into me that day. I just found myself doing it.
After I finished I knew what I had done was wrong so I ran away. When the mother came back the boy reported and the mother in turn reported to the police leading to my arrest.
The doctors said the boy was badly injured as a result of what I did so I was summoned to court and I attended several sessions until I was found guilty.
In here we are being treated good. The wardens are good, they don’t beat us as some of you think. As such I am currently proceeding with my studies although I am only starting at Grade 2. When I go out I want to work and look after my grandmother, I am the only one she has and I have to look after her.
It pains me sometimes to see others being visited by their relatives when I do not have anyone to come and see me. All my parents are dead and I am the only child. I grew up in poverty.
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Sheldon Samaneka (15), theft, unlawful entry
I came here in November last year after I was convicted of theft and unlawful entry. I committed these offences in Penhalonga where I stayed with my uncle and aunt.
I was not going to school at that time and there was no money at home. I would go for days without eating. My guardians were not very nice either but I had not many options because both my parents are dead.
So what happened is that I became friends with people who were a very bad influence to me. Among these friends was a guy called Shepherd, who was 27-years-old.
He taught me to drink beer, to smoke and to hire prostitutes. Now because we did not have jobs to sustain these activities he said we should start stealing. The first time he said he knew of a house which had valuables that we could sell. We went to the house in the afternoon when its residents had gone for work.
We smashed the windows and Shepherd said I should get inside since I was the smaller one. I got inside and I stole a plasma television, a laptop and US$300 in cash. We sold the items and shared the cash.
Luck ran out when we stole a mobile phone. The phone had a mobile tracker and we failed to de-activate it. When it was tracked to our place the house was searched and items we had stolen from other people were found.
We were sent to court and I was given a two-year sentence. My co-accused was sent to open prison, I am not sure for how long.
In here I go to school and learn a variety of skills. It is hard sometimes to live here due to the diet, blankets and other few things but generally we are treated well.
Online Reporter