Zimpapers Logo

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
A 28-year-old woman who inserted her fingers in her 16-year-old housemaid’s private parts on suspicion that she was having sexual intercourse with her husband was last week sentenced to eight years in prison.

Angela Mbada will, however, serve four years behind bars after regional magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo set aside four years on condition of good behaviour. Mbada, who inserted her fingers into the teenage girl’s privates to test whether or not she had slept with her husband, denied the charges when the trial began.

She was convicted of aggravated indecent assault after a full trial due to overwhelming evidence against her. In aggravation, prosecutor Ms Mollyn Mtamangira-Mavhondo called for a stiffer penalty, saying what Mbada did to the girl was inhuman.

“The accused’s conduct is shocking. What she did was so abusive and inhuman. She was like a mother to the victim and was in a position of authority over her, but she took advantage of her position and abused the girl. Your Worship, only a custodial sentence will meet the justice of this offence. A strong message has to be sent to like-minded offenders,” she said.

In her defence, Mbada denied inserting her fingers into the maid’s private parts, claiming she also asked her to remove her undergarment in order to check whether or not she had been intimate with her husband.

“When she removed her panties, I discovered that it was mine and it was wet, suggesting sexual activity,” said Mbada.

The court concurred with the State’s submissions and sent Mbada to jail. On October 8, at around 9pm, Mbada arrived home from work and asked what time her husband had come home.

She allegedly claimed that there was a stench in the house, but the maid told her that she had burnt the chicken she had prepared for supper. Mbada entered her bedroom and asked why her husband’s clothes were wet. She started accusing the maid of being intimate with her husband.

She lit a candle and ordered the maid to lie down and remove her panties. The maid complied and Mbada reportedly inserted her fingers into her private parts. Four days later, Mbada ordered the maid to leave and she gave her $2. The maid went to Sunningdale 2, where she narrated her ordeal to her uncle and a report was made to the police.