Crimes and Court Correspondent
A Gokwe regional court has sentenced a 12-year-old Grade 7 pupil to an effective 15 years in prison for raping his 5-year-old niece.
“The accused’s actions are a clear violation of the victim’s rights and trust,” said regional magistrate Musaiona Shortgame. “The severity of the sentence reflects the gravity of the offense.”
The court heard that on February 12, the boy, a pupil at Nyaradza Primary School, instructed his niece to come to the bedroom, where he raped her once. The girl did not report the matter, but her grandmother noticed she was bleeding while bathing her and inquired about the injury.
“The girl narrated her ordeal, and the matter was reported to the police, leading to the boy’s arrest,” said the prosecutor.
A medical report from Gokwe District Hospital was presented in court as evidence. The boy was referred to the hospital for a medical examination after his arrest.
“This case is a tragic reminder of the need to protect our children from abuse and exploitation,” said Shortgame.
“The court will not hesitate to hand down severe sentences to those who prey on the vulnerable.”
The boy’s name cannot be released due to legal reasons.
This publication sought comment from a child psychologist over the matter who had this to say,
“The sentence is extreme for a child this young. But I would not hesitate to rule out lack of parental guidance. Parents of nowadays have slackened in their playing their roles.”
She went on to say that the courts should have sought the assistance of child counselors to determine the reasons that led to the young boy commit such a henious crime at that age.
“I cannot rule out the abuse of cellphones. Remember the Plumtree case. It is said the young boy had watches adult movies from a cellphone. This too could be the case.”
She ended by encouraging parents to limit the use of cellphones by their children, check the content in their children’s phones and refuse their child to have a password unknown to the parent.
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