Constable
Jackson (32), once sentenced to five years in prison for having sex with a
minor, is now a free man after Justice Garainesu Mawadze ruled that the
conviction be set aside “by consent.”
Jackson had
appealed through his lawyer, Esau Mandipa of Mandipa, Makwara and Chikukwa
Legal Practice.
Under
Zimbabwean law, a child under 18 cannot legally consent to sex — meaning what
some call a “relationship” is actually abuse.
According to
the court papers, Jackson, stationed at Gweru Traffic Section, lured his
14-year-old neighbour after she returned home late from a party and found her
parents’ door locked.
He reportedly
offered her a lift to town, bought her food at Milan Family Restaurant, and
later parked outside Gweru Rural Police Station where he fondled her and had
sex with her in his vehicle.
The following
morning, the girl’s parents discovered she hadn’t slept at home and filed a
police report, leading to Jackson’s arrest.
Although the
High Court has cleared him, the case exposes how young girls can easily fall
prey to manipulation by trusted figures.
Child rights
advocates say such cases highlight the urgent need for open conversations
between parents and children.
“Predators
often use kindness, gifts or promises to win trust. Parents must talk to their
children about boundaries and report any suspicious adult behaviour
immediately,” said one social worker.
While Jackson may be free, the scars on the teenager — emotional and psychological — remain.
Lesson: Let
this be a wake-up call. Protect your children. Trust no one with their
innocence, even those in uniform. B Metro
0 comments:
Post a Comment