Corpun file 23092

NewsDay, Harare, 10 February 2011

Anal sex is okay -- juvenile tells court

By Silas Nkala
Bulawayo

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A-15-year-old juvenile from Siabanga area in Binga who allegedly sodomised his 12-year-old peer while they were herding cattle recently stunned the magistrate when he told the court he saw nothing amiss with the act.

However, magistrate Stephen Ndlovu found him guilty of aggravated indecent assault and sentenced him to corporal punishment.

The teenager will receive four strokes with a rattan cane to be administered at Binga Prison.

The incident occurred on February 4 at around 1500hrs as the two boys were herding cattle at Siabanga grazing area.

The 15-year-old juvenile grabbed his 12-year-old peer, inflicting injuries to his back.

The matter came to light after the boy had reported the abuse to his parents and implicated the 15-year-old juvenile.

His victim was taken to hospital where a medical doctor revealed he had sustained some injuries as a result of the sodomy. The matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of the abusive juvenile. When he was asked why he did it, the boy said the complainant had consented to having anal sex with him and he saw nothing wrong about it.

The magistrate told him sodomy or same-sex relation is not allowed in Zimbabwe. Besides, the two were not at the age of consent or engaging in sexual contact.

Bruce Maphosa prosecuted.

Homosexuality is an emotive subject in Zimbabwe, with President Robert Mugabe on record as saying gays and lesbians were "worse than pigs and dogs".

All material © Newsday Zimbabwe.

Corpun file 23238

The Herald, Harare, 16 February 2011

Three strokes for toy gun robbery

Court Reporter

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A teenager, who robbed a taxi driver of his vehicle after intimidating him with a toy gun in Norton, last week escaped a jail term after he was sentenced to three strokes and a wholly suspended two-year prison term.

The 16-year-old, who is a son of a senior police officer, pleaded guilty to armed robbery when he appeared before regional magistrate Mr William Bhila.

The strokes are to be administered in private at Harare Central Prison in the presence of a doctor.

Mr Dumisani Mthombeni prosecuted.

The complainant in the matter was Langton Mapenzauswa.

The boy completed Form Four last year and committed the offence while waiting for his results.

Agreed facts are that on December 3 last year, Mapenzauswa was at Karigamombe Centre, Harare, in his Toyota Spacio taxi.

The teenager hired Mapenzauswa on the pretext that he wanted to collect 10 computers from a farm in Norton.

The juvenile told the cabman that he was employed by the Builders Association and was tasked to collect items from Pondo Mbiri Farm in Norton.

The boy agreed to pay US$50 for the taxi service.

Upon reaching Gavillian Farm in Norton, Mapenzauswa asked the boy for directions but he instead pulled out the toy gun and pointed it at him.

He ordered Mapenzauswa to stop the car and run to into the bush.

The teenager took the vehicle, Mapenzauswa's cellphone, a jacket and driver's licence.

He drove back to Harare.

Mapenzauswa reported the matter and on December 8 detectives from the Vehicle Theft Squad were tipped that the taxi was in the Avondale area.

A follow-up was made leading to the teenager's arrest.