HARARE – Five women who ran a brothel under the cover of a massage parlour have been handed suspended prison sentences and fined by a court in Harare.
The five used social media to invite men to their beauty parlour where they charged $20 for sex, the Harare Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday.
Charity Makoni who was trading as Chelsea, 30, Josephine Tapi whose pet name is Tanya, 22, Miriam Bimha also known as Chichie, Shyline Sibanda who also answers to Sky and their boss Cassandra Mavhura pleaded guilty to soliciting sex for the purposes of prostitution and were fined $30 each by Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo.
They were also handed wholly suspended two-month prison sentences on condition of good behaviour.
The court heard that the women ran their operation from 30 Helm Avenue in Harare.
Police raided the facility after getting information that the massage parlour was also in the business of selling sex for US$20 per session.
Mavhura, who ran the operation, faced additional charges of living off or facilitating prostitution, procuring for the purpose of prostitution and contravening the Shop Licences Act.
Noosa Kangara prosecuted.
