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The Salvation Army Church-run Usher Institute in Figtree, Matabeleland South Province, has rejected the placement of a paedophile to do community service at the institution saying he was a danger to pupils following his conviction for bedding a Form One girl at the school. Clement Mpofu, 22, of Kalanga Farm in Figtree, was recently sentenced to perform 210 hours of community service at the institution by Plumtree magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa for having sex with the juvenile who lives and is a pupil at the institution. Mpofu was sentenced to do community service at Usher Primary School which is about 50 metres from the house where the girl stays with her aunt.

Mpofu and the juvenile had sexual intercourse at the same house during the aunt’s absence. Usher Institute administrator Absalom Makanga said the institution’s board met recently and concluded that it was not proper for Mpofu to do community service at the institution — his hunting ground. He said they communicated their decision to police at Figtree and yesterday they were scheduled to meet court officials on the same issue.

“The victim of this man is a Form One pupil within our institute and it is our duty to protect her and other pupils who are under our custody. The place where this man is performing his community service is conducive enough for him to have sex with the juvenile again,” said Makanga.

He said it was improper for the girl who stays with her aunt within the institute to be in close proximity with Mpofu. The set up, Makanga said, causes torture to the pupil and her guardian. Mpofu and the girl were in a relationship and it’s possible the two still consider each other as lovers and are likely to indulge again. Makanga said the institution wanted Mpofu transferred to another institution which is far away from school pupils to serve his sentence.

The sentiments expressed by Usher Institute could be the voice of many school authorities where those convicted of bedding juveniles have been sent to do community service. Members of the public have already expressed their displeasure at the decision by the courts to send these child predators to schools where they are close to their victims.

According to members of the public, sentencing these child molesters to do community service at schools exposes pupils to the dangers of being sexually abused.

We, just like members of the public, disagree with the school of thought which is of the view that sentencing these child molesters to do community service at schools embarrasses the convicts. These are individuals who have no sense of shame so they will not be embarrassed by being sentenced to say cut grass at the school but will instead be on the look out for the next victim.

Members of the public want these child molesters sent to jail in order to send a clear message that society abhors sexual abuse of juveniles especially by elders taking advantage of their vulnerability.

We want at this juncture to implore the judiciary to revisit this idea of sending child molesters to do community service at schools because in our view it’s not serving its purpose of embarrassing the convicts but is instead exposing pupils to the danger of being raped.