Self-styled Buhera prophet Tafadzwa Mabanga (26) has been dragged before the court for bedding a 13-year-old girl minor.
Appearing before Chipinge Magistrate Joshua Nembaware, Mabanga was convicted and awaits his sentence after pleading guilty to sleeping with a minor three times before silencing her with money before the minor girl eloped.
Mabanga however, pleaded with the court for leniency before indicating that he wanted to marry the girl in his mitigation.
The State told the court that sometime in August this year at around 4pm, Mabanga met the girl, who is aged 13 and doing Grade Six, on her way home from school and proposed love to her.
However, the girl turned down his proposal.
The State added that sometime in October, the Mabanga met the minor girl again but this time in the company of her friend. Mabanga as usual proposed and this time the minor girl accepted.
The State also told the court that during the same month, the girl fell sick and went to his house for a prayer session and Mabanga lured her into his bedroom where he became intimate with her with her consent.
The minor also intimated with Mabanga again after which he gave her $20.
The court heard that on November 18 at around 3pm, he went to the girl’s homestead in the absence of her parents and slept with her before buying her silence with $30.
The following day, the girl eloped to his homestead and they started staying together.
The matter came to light five days later after the girl’s mother gathered that she was staying with Mabanga and made a police report, leading to his arrest.
