Teenager in trouble over revenge pornography

A CHIPINGE teenager is in trouble over revenge pornography after he allegedly posted nude photos of his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend on Whatsapp group Nhau Dze Gaza.

Livingstone Mutetwa (19), who was doing A-level at Gaza High School appeared before Chipinge magistrate Mr Vuso Gapara on Wednesday facing charges of producing, printing and disseminating undesirable pictures as defined in Section 13(1)(a) of the Censorship and Entertainment Act Chapter 10:04.

Mutetwa, of House Number 67836, Gaza Township, pleaded not guilty to the charge arguing that the nude photos were posted by a Whatsapp group administrator who is in South Africa.

“Your worship, I did not commit this offence and I plead with this court to discharge me. The nude photos of my ex-girlfriend were send by one of our group administrator who is in South Africa.

“I am only a member of the Whatsapp group and I can even give the police the group admin numbers for further investigations. I was also surprised to see my ex-girlfriend nude pictures going viral,” said Mutetwa.

Prosecutor Ms Edith Phiri said on an unknown date, but in May last year, Mutetwa and his girlfriend, who could not be named as she is below 18, fell in love.

“On one of the days Mutetwa invited the complainant to his father’s house and they spent two days together. He then shot nude pictures of himself and the complainant using a webcam of a computer and other photos using lumnia Nokia phone.

“Upon realising that the accused was shooting photos, the complainant requested the accused to delete the pictures,” she said.

Ms Phiri said sometime in June last year, Mutetwa and the complainant broke up. “After breaking up, Mutetwa’s new lover approached the complainant over why they broke up and she later informed her that Mutetwa was a womaniser.

“This did not go well with Mutetwa, who then confronted the complainant and threatened to ruin her life,” she added.

Ms Phiri said in July 2017, Mutetwa edited the pictures and removed his face. “He created a story in which he claimed that the complainant had been caught redhanded in bed with a married men and had photos taken. The accused person, after editing the pictures and creating the story, posted them on a Whatsapp group “Nhau Dze Gaza. The story and pictures went viral. The edited photos can be produced in court as exhibit,” said Ms Phiri.

Magistrate Gapara had not passed a judgement by the time of going to print on Wednesday.