Community service for sex with minor

AN 18-year-old man from Marange has been sentenced to 175 hours of community service for having sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old Grade Seven pupil.

Desire Chando of Mazwi Village under Chief Marange appeared before Mutare provincial magistrate Mrs Perseverance Makala last week facing charges of engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor.

Chando was sentenced to seven months imprisonment of which two months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. The remaining five months were suspended on condition that the accused perform 175 hours of community service at Chikwariro Clinic.

Representing the State, Mr Fletcher Karombe told the court Chando, who is unemployed, met the complainant on July 21, at a marriage ceremony.

He proposed love to the minor, who consented.

On the same date the accused requested the complainant to prove to him if she truly loved him and they hugged each other. The accused then escorted the complainant home that night and he asked to have sexual intercourse with the complaint and she agreed.

The two had sexual intercourse once with the complainant’s consent.

It is further alleged that the minor’s parents discovered this when they called her home and she ran away while holding her panties in her hands. She was later interrogated by her father and she revealed what had happened.

The complainant’s mother then escorted her to report the case to the police.

The minor was taken to hospital for medical examination and the medical report was produced in court as part of evidence of the abuse.