By James Muonwa, Mashonaland West Correspondent

A 32-year-old Chinhoyi man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for sodomising a seven-year-old boy.

Chinhoyi magistrate, Ignatius Mugova this week convicted Liberty Gimu (32), a pushcart operator at Gadzema main rank, who suspended three years on condition of good behaviour.

Gimu is not related to the complainant.

The accused was facing three counts of aggravated indecent assault, two of which Gimu was found not guilty.

He will, therefore, spend a total of 15 years in jail following his conviction on the third count.

The state case, led by Nyasha Sibesha was that on September 13 this year, and in Gadzema suburbs, the boy who is an Early Childhood Development (ECD) pupil, was playing with his friends on the streets.

Gimu emerged pushing his cart with pockets of potatoes.

The court heard that Gimu stopped and grabbed the boy by the hand, lifted him, and put him onto the cart.

The accused started pushing the cart towards the Transport Ministry premises located along the Chinhoyi-Chegutu highway.

The boy’s uncle, aged nine years followed, but Gimu assaulted and chased him away.

The accused person later left the potatoes at the bus stop near the Transport Ministry premises and took the complainant to a nearby grassy area where he sexually violated him.

Following the dastardly act, Gimu gave the minor $50 in a bid to silence him but was later arrested.