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Lesley Chikudo, [email protected]

A BULAWAYO man was yesterday sentenced to 15 years in jail for indecently assaulting his co-tenant’s 11-year-old daughter on several occasions.

Henry Nherera (47) of Emthunzini suburb pleaded not guilty but was convicted of indecent assault by Western Commonage regional magistrate, Mrs Sibongile Marondedze.

In passing the sentence, the magistrate noted that the victim was emotionally disturbed.

She said due to his predatory behaviour, Nherera is a danger to the community hence the need for a deterrent sentence.

“To avoid future offenders of the same crime, there is a need to protect the girl child as such, the offender is sentenced to an effective 15 years,” ruled Mrs Marondedze.

The prosecutor, Ms Melisa Dube, said the offence was committed between August 2022 and October 2024.

“Sometime in 2022 on a date that the complainant cannot remember, during the day, she went to the accused’s house intending to use his cellphone to communicate with her mother who stays outside the town,” she said.

The court heard that Nherera fondled the girl’s private parts and told her not to tell anyone, claiming she was his girlfriend.

On the second occasion sometime in October last year, the complaint went to Nherera’s house to assist the accused person’s daughter with some school homework and found the accused person seated in the house together with his daughter.

“The complainant assisted the accused’s daughter with her homework while the accused was seated in the house. After finishing the homework, his daughter took a blanket and slept leaving the complainant seated,” said the prosecutor.

Nherera thrust his fingers into the juvenile’s privates. The matter came to light when the complainant went to school and reported it to her teacher, who in turn informed the complainant’s brother, leading to Nherera’s arrest.

In his defence, Nherera denied the charge.

“On the day in question, the complainant came to his house to assist my daughter with her homework and the two left home after doing their homework. I am shocked that she claims I indecently assaulted her,” he argued.

Nherera claimed the complainant was influenced by someone to fabricate the charges.