By MULENGA MUSONDA
A 16-YEAR-OLD boy who raped his cousin, also aged 16 has been sentenced to three months of community service while undergoing counselling.
The boy appeared in the Choma Fast Track for Gender Based Violence sitting as a Juveniles Court before Principal Resident Magistrate Idah Mupemo.
In this matter, the 16-year-old stood charged with rape contrary to section 132 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence are that the boy had carnal knowledge of his female cousin without her consent on October 20, 2020 in Choma.
According to the facts presented by Senior Public Prosecutor Charles Chinzai, the boy raped his cousin after taking advantage of the absence of there being no other people at home.
And Juveniles Inspector Kazembe Zyambo stated that that the boy’s feelings for his cousin could have arisen because he does not go to school and spends most of the time at home with her.
“He has been romanticising his cousin for a while” the inspector said as he recommended that the boy be put on counselling and community service.
Magistrate Mupemo said that the juvenile who seemed remorseful of his action observed that there was still room for him to reform. She ordered that he undergoes counselling while he carries out his three weeks community service.
She also ordered the Social Welfare Department to present to her a report of the counselling a week after it is done so she could see results of the counselling.
