Domestic worker sodomise boy, 11

A GWERU regional magistrate has sentenced to 15 years the Zvishavane domestic worker who sodomised an 11-year-old primary school boy.

Steward Kere, 23, of Mapanzure village had pleaded not guilty before  Morgan Nemadire.

Handing out the sentence, Nemadire said: "The accused failed to honour the trust bestowed on him by the community he was living in. He sexually assaulted a child who is more than 10 years his junior and it's saddening to note that probably for the rest of his life, the minor will be traumatised."

He said sexual abuse of children therefore called for stiffer and deterrent sentences.

Kere will serve an effective 12 years in prison after three years were suspended for five years on condition that he does not during the period commit a similar offence. Initially, Kere was facing 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault after children from his neighbouring village accused him of sodomising them since February 2013.

Ten of the counts were, however, dismissed due to lack of evidence.

Emmanuel Matosi prosecuted.