Man beats up, sodomises juveniles for stealing guavas

A Chitungwiza man, 20, who beat up a juvenile and sodomised another as punishment for stealing guavas at his place was on Monday jailed for an effective seven years.

Liberty Matswai caught the pair last February playing outside his gate after stealing guavas from one of the trees at his place.

He frog-marched them into the yard where he assaulted the younger of the two as punishment and released him.

Matswai dragged the nine-year-old into the house and molested him.

After the sinister act, he released the minor and threatened to assault him if he revealed the abuse to anyone.

When the minor arrived home he narrated his ordeal to his sister who later told their mother.
The boy's mother reported the matter to the police leading to Matswai's arrest.

When his trial opened before Chitungwiza regional magistrate Ms Estere Chivasa, Matswai denied aggravated indecent assault charges but was convicted after prosecutor Mr Henry Muringani proved a strong case against him.

Ms Chivasa sentenced him to 12 years in prison but set aside five years on condition of good behaviour.