Corpun file 18929

Sunday Mail, Harare, 11 February 2007

Lustful schoolboy to be caned

By Tafadzwa Chiremba

A CHITUNGWIZA magistrate has sentenced a Form 3 student at Zengeza 3 High School to two strokes of the cane after he fondled the breasts of a Form 4 student from the same school recently.

The boy, whose name is being withheld because of his age, was found guilty of violating Section 67 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 when he appeared before magistrate Mr Geoffrey Gogo.

The court heard that the boy committed the offence on February 2. In passing sentence, Mr Gogo warned the boy to desist from activities that would land him in trouble.

The court heard that the boy initially grabbed the 16-year-old girl by the collar after accusing her of having a misunderstanding with another girl from the same school.

In her testimony, the complainant said she had a misunderstanding with a girl from the same school after which the boy intervened.

He allegedly grabbed her by the collar and threatened her and proceeded to fondle her breasts after which he pushed her away.

The girl reported the matter to the Girl Child Network, a civic group, which in turn notified police resulting in the boy's arrest.

In mitigation, the boy said he was only trying to restrain the complainant from fighting with another girl.

Mr Mugaviri Mugaviri prosecuted.