An 18-year-old man from Beitbridge has been sentenced after a case involving a 13-year-old girl came to light through TikTok.
Leon Ngwenya, from New Alpha, appeared before Beitbridge Regional Magistrate Charity Maphosa on Wednesday. The court convicted him of having sexual intercourse with a minor.
The case emerged on 30 September 2026 after the girl’s relative discovered Ngwenya’s TikTok account. Ngwenya had reportedly used the girl’s photograph as his profile picture and uploaded several other images of her.
The relative subsequently informed the girl’s mother, bringing the matter to light.
Court Hears Details of Encounters
Prosecutor Takunda Chigavazira told the court that Ngwenya had sexual intercourse with the girl twice in July 2026.
The encounters reportedly occurred at the girl’s home, where she lived alone. Her parents worked outside town and visited her only occasionally.
The court also heard that Ngwenya had been visiting the girl’s home since January 2026. He allegedly arrived at night to avoid attracting attention from neighbours.
On some occasions, he reportedly remained at the house until around midnight.
When questioned about their relationship, the girl told investigators that Ngwenya was her boyfriend.
Ngwenya initially faced two counts of rape under Section 65 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. However, the court convicted him of the lesser charge of having sexual intercourse with a minor.
Magistrate Hands Down Prison Sentence
The court sentenced Ngwenya to 12 months in prison for the offence.
However, the magistrate suspended four months of the sentence for five years, provided he maintains good behaviour.
The court also suspended the remaining eight months on condition that Ngwenya completes 240 hours of community service.
The case highlights how activity on social media can bring private matters to the attention of relatives. In this instance, the discovery of photographs on TikTok prompted the girl’s relative to alert her mother.
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