Crimes and Court Correspondent
A 13-year-old boy from Plumtree, Matabeleland South, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for aggravated indecent assault, has been released on bail from Bulawayo Prison.
“We are coming from Bulawayo Prison, and the boy is now with his mother and has gone home,” said Stanley Chinyanganya, the boy’s lawyer.
The boy’s mother expressed her concerns, saying,
“He is not okay; he is seriously traumatized. When we took him yesterday, he cried throughout. He doesn’t want anything, and when relatives try to speak to him on the phone, he cries.”
She added that her son even pleaded for the clothes he was wearing to be burned. “I am taking him to a social worker,” she said, expressing fears that her son may be mentally disturbed.
According to the pre-sentencing inquiry, the minor stated that he saw inappropriate material on a peer’s phone, leading him to commit the offense. The Magistrate stated that the penalty provision for aggravated indecent assault carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, with no exceptions given to juveniles.
“What makes this offence aggravating is the age of the victim. If the victim is a child, that factor alone places the offence in the category of aggravated circumstances, requiring a sentence of no less than 15 years,” read the court papers.
The boy’s lawyer has filed an application for a review at the High Court and is awaiting a hearing date.
Zim GBC News©2024