A 22-year-old domestic worker in Harare has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting her employer’s landlord’s 8-year-old son. The incident occurred in Dzivaresekwa, a suburb of Harare.
The maid faced two counts of aggravated indecent assault, to which she had initially pleaded not guilty. However, following a full trial, Harare regional magistrate Mrs. Esthere Chivasa found her guilty on both counts. The prosecution, led by Ms. Abigail Chido Gohori, successfully proved its case.
The magistrate handed down a 15-year sentence for each count, but ordered them to be served concurrently. In her ruling, Mrs. Chivasa emphasized the severity of the crime, equating aggravated indecent assault with rape. She stated that given the young age of the victim, a sentence below 15 years was not appropriate.
The court heard that the assault took place in March around 6 pm when the maid lured the boy, who was playing outside, into her bedroom. The crime only came to light on August 19.
Mrs. Chivasa highlighted the aggravated nature of the offense and expressed concern about the possibility of similar assaults on other children. She also noted the risk of sexually transmitted disease transmission in such cases.
The magistrate ruled out the possibility of community service, stating it would be inappropriate given the gravity of the offense. She emphasized that crimes of this nature carry a minimum sentence of 15 years per count, with no possibility of a sentence less than five years for rape or aggravated indecent assault convictions.
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