LUPANE — A 69-year-old man from Gudubhu village was on Wednesday sentenced to 15 months in prison for sexually abusing a 12-year-old schoolgirl by fondling and sucking her breasts.
Lazarus Ndlovu had pleaded not guilty to the offence, but was convicted by Lupane resident magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba.
In sentencing him, the magistrate said cases of elderly people like him abusing children had become a cause for concern in the district.
Gwazemba said Ndlovu’s defence submissions lacked substance and the court found no reason why the girl would cook up the story against him.
The court heard that sometime between December last year and January this year, the teacher of the 12 -year-old-girl doing Grade Five at a school in Lupane noticed that the girl started coming late to school, something which was unusual.
After interrogation by the teacher, the girl finally opened up, saying she was now using a longer route to avoid Ndlovu who always stopped her and indecently assaulted her.
