A woman from Epworth has appeared in court after allegedly misleading a teenage girl into believing she was a man and convincing her to leave home to live with her under the pretence of a marital relationship.
The accused, Shamiso Melinda Sigara (18), of Overspill, Epworth, was arrested and brought before the Harare Magistrates’ Court over the weekend, where she is facing a charge of aggravated indecent assault. The complainant is a 16-year-old minor.
Sigara was not asked to enter a plea when she appeared before Magistrate Jessie Kufa.
According to the State, the accused allegedly approached the complainant in November last year, presenting herself as a man and expressing romantic interest. The teenager is said to have accepted the proposal.
Prosecutors allege that on February 12 this year, Sigara arranged for the minor to move into her residence so they could live together as a couple. The complainant reportedly left her home and stayed with the accused.
It is further alleged that during the night, the accused engaged in inappropriate conduct while falsely claiming to possess male characteristics.
The complainant later informed her mother of the incident, prompting a police report to be filed the following day. In her statement, the minor indicated that she had begun to suspect that the accused was, in fact, a woman posing as a man.
Sigara was subsequently arrested and has been remanded in custody pending a bail hearing. The matter is being prosecuted by Oscar Madhume.
