A 66-year-old man from Mutasa has been sentenced to an effective 17 years in prison for attempting to rape a nine-year-old girl who was walking home from school.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), the incident occurred on September 29 at around 1pm when the girl was approached by the man, who gave her a packet of biscuits and told her to share them with others at home.
The man then grabbed the child by the hand and dragged her behind a hedge at a nearby homestead before attempting to sexually assault her.
“The offender pushed the child to the ground and declared his intention to have sexual intercourse with her because he had given her biscuits,” the NPAZ said.
When the girl began crying, the man choked her in an attempt to silence her. His actions were interrupted when two alert passersby spotted him attacking the child.
“Upon realizing he had been seen, the offender released the victim’s throat and attempted to put his trousers back on,” the authority said.
When questioned, she disclosed what had happened, prompting villagers to escort her home to her mother.
The matter was subsequently reported to the police, leading to the man’s arrest and conviction.