News / National
HIV teenager (15) gets 15 yrs in prison for raping cousin (4)
07 Dec 2011 at 21:58hrs | Views
A HIV positive teenager (15) from Sebanga suburb in Shurugwi who raped his four-year-old cousin was sentenced to three years in prison by a Gweru magistrate.
The boy will, however, have to do time at Blue Hills Rehabilitation Centre in Gweru, a reformatory for delinquent minors.
The juvenile pleaded guilty to rape when he appeared before magistrate Mrs Judith Zuyu at the Gweru magistrate's courts on Monday.
The boy, who tested HIV positive when he went for medical examination at Shurugwi District Hospital, was represented by Gweru lawyer, Mr Hillary Garikai of Garikai and Company Legal Practitioners, a volunteer of Justice for Children Trust.
The four-year-old victim, who is doing Grade Zero at a local primary school in Shurugwi, however, tested negative when she went for HIV and Aids tests. She is now waiting for the three-month window period to lapse before she can go for a retest.
The State case against the juvenile was that in November, the boy was left with his four-year-old cousin in the custody of their grandmother when the complainant's mother went to Botswana.
During that period, the boy took the complainant to their grandmother's bedroom during her absence and started caressing her.
The court heard that the boy later kissed the girl's private parts before raping her once.
The court heard that the boy then threatened to assault the complainant if she reported the matter to their grandmother.
It is further stated that on another day but still in November, the complainant's grandmother removed her pants for washing and left her wearing only her dress.
It was during this time that the boy took advantage that the complainant had no panties and raped her again.
The matter was discovered by the complainant's mother when she returned from Botswana. She discovered the crime when she was bathing the complainant.
The complainant screamed during bathing when her mother tried to wash her private parts.
Upon being interviewed, the complainant told her mother that she had been raped.
The matter was reported to the police leading to the juvenile's arrest.
In mitigation, the boy said his behaviour was influenced by pornographic material he used to watch at their home.
The boy also said he was very young and was on anti-retroviral therapy.
Mr Tafadzwa Mpariwa appeared for the State.
Meanwhile, Mr Garikai said they were going to investigate how their convicted client contracted HIV at such a tender age.
"It's still a mystery how the boy contracted the disease and information at hand is that the boy has been taking anti-retroviral drugs since 2009. We are going to conduct our own investigations with the intention of getting whoever infected the boy arrested," he said.
The boy will, however, have to do time at Blue Hills Rehabilitation Centre in Gweru, a reformatory for delinquent minors.
The juvenile pleaded guilty to rape when he appeared before magistrate Mrs Judith Zuyu at the Gweru magistrate's courts on Monday.
The boy, who tested HIV positive when he went for medical examination at Shurugwi District Hospital, was represented by Gweru lawyer, Mr Hillary Garikai of Garikai and Company Legal Practitioners, a volunteer of Justice for Children Trust.
The four-year-old victim, who is doing Grade Zero at a local primary school in Shurugwi, however, tested negative when she went for HIV and Aids tests. She is now waiting for the three-month window period to lapse before she can go for a retest.
The State case against the juvenile was that in November, the boy was left with his four-year-old cousin in the custody of their grandmother when the complainant's mother went to Botswana.
During that period, the boy took the complainant to their grandmother's bedroom during her absence and started caressing her.
The court heard that the boy later kissed the girl's private parts before raping her once.
The court heard that the boy then threatened to assault the complainant if she reported the matter to their grandmother.
It is further stated that on another day but still in November, the complainant's grandmother removed her pants for washing and left her wearing only her dress.
It was during this time that the boy took advantage that the complainant had no panties and raped her again.
The matter was discovered by the complainant's mother when she returned from Botswana. She discovered the crime when she was bathing the complainant.
The complainant screamed during bathing when her mother tried to wash her private parts.
Upon being interviewed, the complainant told her mother that she had been raped.
The matter was reported to the police leading to the juvenile's arrest.
In mitigation, the boy said his behaviour was influenced by pornographic material he used to watch at their home.
The boy also said he was very young and was on anti-retroviral therapy.
Mr Tafadzwa Mpariwa appeared for the State.
Meanwhile, Mr Garikai said they were going to investigate how their convicted client contracted HIV at such a tender age.
"It's still a mystery how the boy contracted the disease and information at hand is that the boy has been taking anti-retroviral drugs since 2009. We are going to conduct our own investigations with the intention of getting whoever infected the boy arrested," he said.
Source - Chronicle
