BULAWAYO – A Bulawayo man who lured two neighbouring girls aged 8 and 11 to his home to undertake some menial tasks on the promise of a dollar payment for each, allegedly aggravated his misdeeds through kissing and fondling the minors, a city court has heard.

A Bulawayo court heard that sometime in December last year, the suspect, Robert Chiswera, residing at Riverside suburb, invited two of the minors without the knowledge of their parents.

The court was told he promised the minors some US$1 each in exchange for some menial work around his yard.

The abuse came to light in January this year when a mother to one of the minors who is also a State witness in the case told the court her son confronted the suspect over a 10-rand debt the boy was owed.

It is at that point that the boy revealed the girls were also paid for menial services by the suspect.

“By the time this incident happened, I was always working. I would come home and find the kids sleeping and early in the morning leave for work,” she said in court.

“During my off days, I would sleep most of the time and hence did not get enough time to sit and talk with my children. That is why this matter came to my attention way after it had happened.

“I got news of this incident after I lost my job and started spending time at home.

“My son asked money from a neighbour and that did not go well with me. So, when I confronted him about it, he told me that his younger sister and our neighbour’s daughter were once given money by the accused for piece jobs.

“As a concerned mother, I went over to the accused’s place to ask why he would give children of such ages some jobs and he hurled insults at me.

“I then left and went to have a word with children to caution them never to repeat the same mistake and that is when they told me that on the said incident, the accused dragged them to his house kissed and fondled them saying ‘you are all my wives’.

“I then engaged parents of the second minor and went over to the accused place who was still hostile and upon realising he was not cooperative, we then lodged a police report the next day.”

Chiswera pleaded not guilty to allegations of sexual abuse on the minors but admitted offering them menial work at their request in exchange for money.

He said the mother to one of the minors, a witness in his court case, has always been bitter towards him.

“Sometime last year, I sold this woman some vegetables from our garden and she returned hours later to tell me that they were sub-standard and I should take them back and return her money, which I did but from then, our relationship has not been a pleasant one.

“I did not sexually harass these children but I agree to offering some piece work at my place after they had asked for one and in exchange, I gave them money and nothing else,” he said.

Bulawayo magistrate Nomalanga Maphosa reserved judgement to April 24, 2024.