BY TATENDA CHITAGU MASVINGO — A Chiredzi businesswoman was lucky to escape jail after she was ordered to do 525 hours of community service for kidnapping a 15-year-old girl and shaving her pubic hair and eyelashes.
Plaxedes Tavengana and three other accomplices accused the girl of having an affair with one of her family members.
Provincial magistrate Time-on Makunde had initially sentenced Tavengana (50), who runs Benzini supermarkets in the Lowveld, and her co-accused, sisters Inert Tavengana (24), Rachel Mawere (22) and Zandile Mthunzi (23) to 30 months in prison, but suspended 15 months on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining 15 were also suspended on condition that the four performed community service at Chiredzi Children’s Home and Chiredzi Polyclinic.The four were convicted on Friday of a count of kidnapping, criminal insult and assault charges.
Makunde noted that the incident was likely to leave the girl traumatised for her entire life.
