By Tendai Makaripe
A 47-year-old man from Kadoma has been sentenced to three years in prison for an unlawful relationship with a 16-year-old girl.
The Kadoma Magistrates’ Court heard that the man and the teenager had been living together as husband and wife since April 2025.
The situation came to light on December 29, 2025, after a violent argument.
According to court records, “the man assaulted the girl by slapping her across the face. She managed to escape and reported the attack to the police.”
While giving her statement, she revealed her true age, triggering an immediate investigation into their relationship.
Police discovered the pair had been cohabiting, with the man repeatedly engaging in sexual relations with the minor.
In court, the man was convicted of engaging in an unlawful relationship with a minor.
He was sentenced to four years in prison.
However, one year of the sentence was suspended on condition of good behaviour, leaving an effective prison term of three years.
The ruling reinforces the legal stance against child marriage and the sexual exploitation of minors.
National law criminalises such relationships, recognising them as a form of abuse and a violation of children’s rights.
