A 40-year-old Odzi man was sentenced to 8 months in prison for indecent assault by the Mutare Magistrates Court after he fondled a fellow church member.
The brief facts of the case are that on the 30th of March 2024, during Easter celebrations, the accused person was entrusted by a church supervisor to accompany the complainant (15) home to obtain some water for a baptism ceremony.
However, along the way, the accused person placed his hand on the complainant’s shoulder, reached for her breast and fondled her while proposing love to her. He also requested to have sexual intercourse with the complainant but was turned down.
When they arrived at the complainant’s house, he stroked her skirt. The complainant told the church supervisor about the incident which was reported to the police. The accused person was arrested.
He was sentenced to 8 months imprisonment of which 4 months was suspended. A further 4 months was suspended on condition that he perform 140 hours of community service.
In an unrelated case, an 18-year-old man was recently arraigned before the Mutare Magistrate’s Court to answer to charges of indecent assault for fondling his 15-year-old neighbour.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the accused person proposed love to the complainant who turned him down sometime in September 2023.
Sometime in October 2023, he asked the complainant to clean his house. While the complainant was sweeping inside the house, the accused person entered the house, closed the door and fondled the complainant’s breasts and caressed her behind.
The complainant managed to stop him by biting him on the shoulder after which she fled the scene.
He was sentenced to 10 months in prison of which 4 months was suspended for 5 years. A further 4 months was suspended on condition that he perform 210 hours of community service.
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