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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent—
A PAEDOPHILE who impregnated his employer’s 12-year-old daughter has been told he destroyed her future by a magistrate – but he WILL NOT be going to jail. Conscience Nleya, 27, of Bulilima, told a Plumtree magistrate he was in love with his victim and wanted to “start a family”. Nleya, a herdsman employed by the girl’s father, pleaded guilty to a charge of having sexual intercourse with a minor on Wednesday.

Incredibly, Nleya will not see the inside of prison after magistrate, Livard Philemon, gave him a wholly suspended 12-month jail sentence for “good behaviour”.

For “destroying the girl’s future”, as the magistrate observed, Nleya will perform 315 hours of community service at Khame Police Base.

“You should’ve gone after a woman of your age instead of misleading such a young child. You’ve now destroyed her future as she is now a mother at such a tender age at the expense of pursuing her studies,” Philemon told Nleya during sentencing.

“You’ve failed to go through school yourself and now you’ve distracted this youngster. How do you expect a child to mother another child?”

Remorseless Nleya told the magistrate the victim was his “girlfriend”.

He said he was prepared to wed her and the pregnancy was part of their plans of building a future together.

“I didn’t force or have to persuade her to sleep with me, she did it willingly because we’re in love,” the paedophile said. “She said she was also prepared to start a family with me and drop out of school.”

Clemence Shawarira, for the prosecution, said on November 15 last year, Nleya – who lived at the same homestead as the victim – met the juvenile at Khame Business Centre and he proposed love to her and she “accepted” his proposal.

He said during the month of December, Nleya took advantage of his employer’s absence and had unprotected sex with the girl on several occasions.

“In the month of January, the juvenile discovered that she was pregnant and she escaped from her parents’ homestead to stay with her boyfriend’s mother who lives in the same area,” said Shawarira.

“The juvenile’s father then heard of the whereabouts of her daughter and reported the matter to the police resulting in Nleya’s arrest and the return of his daughter home.”