By Victor Fanuel
HARARE — A Harare woman has been sentenced to five years in imprisonment for facilitating the rape of a 15-year-old girl employed as a domestic worker at her residence.
Her 29-year-old son, who committed the assault, received a 15-year sentence.
The case was finalized on September 15, 2025, at the Harare Regional Court.
Evidence presented during the trial detailed how the 49-year-old woman arranged for the teenager to be brought from Chipinge to the family home in Hatfield under the premise of employment.
On June 10, the court found that the woman intentionally created conditions that allowed her son to assault the victim.
A court official stated that the mother “facilitated for her son to accompany the victim where she was supposed to retire to bed knowing that he had bad intentions.”
The son subsequently raped the girl without her consent.
Following the assault, the victim reported the crime to the woman, who then took steps to conceal it.
This act of obstruction led to the mother’s conviction.
The initial charges against the pair included trafficking in persons.
However, the court acquitted them on this count due to insufficient evidence to meet the specific legal requirements for a trafficking conviction.
Authorities have confirmed that the victim is now in a secure location and is receiving ongoing support.
The case has drawn significant attention to issues of exploitation and the protection of vulnerable minors.
