Kadoma Woman Convicted for Making False Rape Report: Outrage as Court Hands Down Light Sentence

Kadoma Woman Convicted for Making False Rape Report: Outrage as Court Hands Down Lenient Sentence

A teenager from Kadoma has been convicted for falsely accusing a man of rape—an offence that could have cost the man at years in prison if the lie had gone uncorrected. However, the court gave her a lenient sentence, sparking backlash online, especially from Zimbabwean men who felt justice wasn’t fully served.

The 18-year-old woman, whose identity is being withheld due to legal reasons, appeared before the Kadoma Magistrates’ Court on charges of intentionally giving false information to the police.

Kadoma Teen Convicted for False Rape Report

According to the court, on the night of 9 May 2025, she went to the police and claimed she had been raped by a man known only as “Mupostori.” Ten days later, on 19 May, she returned to the police and admitted she had lied—she hadn’t been raped at all. Instead, she said the man had only assaulted her after she tried to search his pockets. She confessed she made the false rape report out of spite.

After a full trial, the teen was found guilty. But rather than sending her straight to jail, the court opted for a softer approach. She was sentenced to six months in prison, with two months suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. The remaining four months were also suspended—this time on the condition that she completes 140 hours of community service.

Also read: Too Little, Too Late: South Africans Cry Foul Over Short Sentence for False Rape Accuser

Outrage as Court Hands Down Lenient Sentence

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA) shared news of the conviction on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, 5 June 2025. The post quickly gained traction, with many users, particularly men, criticising the sentence. While some applauded the conviction itself, most felt the punishment didn’t reflect the seriousness of the offence, especially considering the accused man could’ve faced decades in prison if the lie hadn’t been retracted.

Here are some of the comments:

@zamresearch:

So off the hook when the potential sentence for the victim was circa. 20 years?

@thegreatSamaita:

That should be the same sentence given to rapists then.

@thabanimnyama:

I don’t think the sentence is proportionate to the crime. False rape should carry a heavier sentence.

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