Danisa Masuku
A 22-YEAR-OLD man from Queenspark West suburb in Bulawayo who lured a 12-year-old boy to a bushy area where he stripped him naked and massaged him before he ejaculated on his chest and stomach has been locked up in jail for 24 months.
The man (identity withheld to protect victim) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Themba Chimiso facing four counts of indecent assault. For the purposes of sentencing all the counts were treated as one.
He pleaded not guilty to all counts but was convicted and slapped with a 36-month jail term of which 12 months were suspended on the condition that he does not commit any offence that involves indecent assault within a period of five years of which if he is convicted he will be sentenced without the option of a fine.
He will effectively serve 24 months in jail.
During sentencing, the magistrate noted that the accused did not contest buying the minor a necklace to buy his silence or refute the complainant’s testimony.
The magistrate further stated that his defence rested on the claim that the complainant’s mother, who is his girlfriend (who worked as a domestic helper for the complainant) stole US$30 and therefore fabricated the story to have him arrested.
The magistrate dismissed this claim as lacking credibility.
The court heard that in April last year, on a date unknown to the prosecutor, he went to the minor’s home.
Upon arrival, he found the boy playing alone in the yard. He lured the boy to a bushy area.
When they arrived, he threatened to kill him before he instructed him to strip naked.
Fearing for his life the minor removed all his clothes and lied on the ground facing upwards.
The accused massaged the boy before he performed sexual acts on him and ejaculated on his chest.
After the act, he gave him R5 to buy his silence and then left for home.
The boy did not disclose the matter to anyone. The court heard that later that same month, he again went to the boy’s home.
Finding him alone, he took him to a bushy area where he ordered him to strip naked and lie on the ground facing upwards.
He then massaged him before he performed sexual acts on him, ejaculated on his stomach and fled from the scene.
After a few minutes, the boy woke up and went to his home and never told anyone about the incident.
On 20 August last year, the accused returned to the boy’s home.
He found the boy playing in the yard and took him to a bushy area once again.
There, he instructed the boy to remove all his clothes and performed sexual acts on him before he ejaculated on his stomach.
The court heard that on the fourth occasion, he went to the boy’s home.
There, he lured the boy and his 10-year-old male cousin to a bushy area and gave the boy a US$1. He ordered him to strip naked and massaged him before he ejaculated on him.
After the act, he asked the boy’s cousin to strip naked but he refused before he fled to his home.
The matter came to light when the boy was caught by their maid performing sexual acts on his cousin.
Quizzed by his mother the minor revealed that the man indecently assaulted him on four different occasions.
The matter was reported to the police leading to his arrest.
