VISIBLY broken, a woman testified how she discovered that her 10-year-old son who has autism was sodomised on two occasions by a 25-year-old man from the neighbourhood in Chungu Townshhip, Lusaka.
Apart from autism, which is a spectrum disorder related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socialises with others, the victim is now facing the trauma of being sodomised, allegedly by Peter Jere, who is believed to be HIV positive.
On Tuesday, the child’s mother told Lusaka Magistrate Sheila Mweene that her son was molested twice and on the day she discovered the incident, his alleged aggressor had picked him from home around 15:00hours and the boy only returned in the evening .
The court also heard that when the boy returned home after 18:00hours, he disclosed that he had been sodomised by Jere, alias Manyoni.
The alleged sexual abuse allegedly happened on March 3 and 4 this year.
When Jere first appeared in court, he claimed that he was not mentally fit for prosecution but a psychiatrist’s report indicated that he can stand trial.
During continued trial on Tuesday, the child’s mother narrated that the second time her child was sodomised, the incident happened in an unfinished church building.
She testified that on the material day, the victim, who is usually withdrawn, kept calling her several times but was not saying anything.
“I proceed to the sitting room where I saw my son crying. I asked him why he was crying and he started telling me that ‘Manyoyi removed my clothes and started having sex with him from behind,” the woman narrated.
The child also informed her that the experience was very painful.
“I then told him to remove the cloths, his porta was red. I then got my son and proceeded to Chunga police to report the matter. I then went to the accused’s residence but never found him,” she said.
The victim was later taken to the University Teaching Hospitals for treatment the following day where he was examined and placed on Pre-exposure prophylaxis treatment.
“I was told by hospital staff that that the results were to be sent to the police once out. After sometime, I went to the police to ask if the results are out but they told me I can’t access the results unless from court” the woman narrated.
The court heard that the accused was later arrested at the victim’s house where he went to apologise for his actions in the company of his mother.
“The accused came with his mother to my house, they pleaded that he should not be jailed because he is sick and HIV positive,” the woman narrated.
In cross examination, the accused asked what colour of clothes he wore when he went to the victim’s house.
“I did not pay attention because I was angry,” the witness replied.
At this point, the victim was called into the courtroom to testify but journalists were excused since the Child Code Act does not allow coverage of juveniles.
Trial continues next month.
(Mwebantu, Thursday, 26th January, 2023)
