Two Wedza Women Sentenced to Five Years as Three Others Walk Free Following Brutal Assault
Two women from Wedza have been sentenced to five years in prison, while their three accomplices walked free, following a brutal assault that was captured on video and went viral. The disturbing footage showed the group of five stripping and viciously attacking 18-year-old Mavis Mada, leading to a public outcry and swift police action.
Vimbai Mike (19) and a 17-year-old mother of two, who cannot be named due to her age, were both handed a five-year prison sentence after being found guilty of aggravated indecent assault, cyber-bullying, unlawful detention, and assault.
Each of the Wedza women was sentenced to five years in jail for indecent assault, one year for cyber-bullying due to posting her video on social media, one year for unlawful detention, and another year for assault. However, these sentences will run concurrently within the five-year effective term.
When sentences run concurrently, it means that the time spent in prison for each offense will overlap, so the person serves them all at the same time. In this case, instead of adding up all the years for each crime, the person will only serve the longest sentence, which is five years. The other sentences (one year for cyber-bullying, one year for unlawful detention, and one year for assault) will be counted within that same five-year period, not added on top of it.
However, the three other accomplices involved, all under the age of 18, were spared jail time, with the court imposing a conditional release.
The incident occurred on 4 July 2024, at 11:00 hours. According to court reports, the three juveniles lured Mavis Mada to Vimbai Mike’s homestead under the pretext of offering her vegetable seedlings. Once there, the gang of five stripped her naked, locked her in a hut, and began a savage assault.
“They took turns beating her with sticks,” said a source familiar with the case. “It was unthinkable. They recorded everything on a Vivo cellphone and later posted the video online.”
The footage, which quickly spread on social media, shows the attackers inserting sticks into the victim’s private parts. The assault was so severe that the victim lost consciousness, but the attackers poured water on her to revive her before finally releasing her hours later.
Community Reacts to Sentencing
The viral video caused an uproar, leading to the quick arrest of all five girls. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed the details of the case, with Commissioner Paul Nyathi stating,
“The suspects were arrested after the video surfaced online. We recovered the phone used to record the incident.”
While Vimbai Mike and her accomplice face time behind bars, the court’s decision to allow the other three juveniles to walk free has sparked debate.
“It’s hard to accept that after such a violent attack, three of them won’t serve any time,” said one resident. “It sends the wrong message to the community.”
The case has left Zimbabweans deeply divided, with some believing that justice was served, while others argue that the leniency shown to the younger offenders was a mistake.
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