Zimbabwe High Court Orders Release of 21-Year-Old After Sex with 14-Year-Old, Cites ‘Close Age’

A Bulawayo High Court panel overturned a 21-month prison sentence for Mduduzi Ngwenya, who was convicted of having sex with a 14-year-old girl. Justices Munamato Mutevedzi and Ngoni Nduna criticized the trial magistrate for imposing an “excessive” custodial term without considering community service or a fine. The judges noted that Ngwenya was only four years older than the minor and said recent legal reforms favour non-custodial options for offenders within a close age range. They also highlighted his status as a first-time offender and the overcrowding in Zimbabwe’s prisons. The High Court has directed the registrar to issue Ngwenya’s immediate release and to remit the case back to the lower court for resentencing with the option of community service or a fine. Time already served must be deducted from any new penalty.

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