A SOUTH Africa-based man was yesterday sentenced to nine years in prison after he was found guilty of having a sexual relationship and impregnating his cousin.
Mandisa Ndlovu (22) and his cousin, Shyline Ncube (19) both appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Chipumha Dube where they pleaded guilty to contravening Section 75 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for having sex within a prohibited degree of relationship.
Ndlovu was slapped with a nine-month jail term, with a third of the sentence suspended on condition he is not found guilty of the same crime within five years.
The courts were lenient on Ncube as they considered that she had to take care of their baby and she was sentenced to perform 315 hours of community service at Emakhandeni Secondary School.
In mitigation the man asked to take full responsibility of the child and asked the court to spare him jail.
“I know the crime that am being charged with and I admit it,” he said.
“If the honourable court would exercise leniency when passing judgment and allow me to be responsible for my nine-month old child.”
Prosecutor Sibekithemba Dube told the court that from 2012 to last year, the two cousins had an affair and despite being told to end it by their parents, they persisted with it.
The man’s father, Sylvester Ndlovu, who reported the case, said he suspected something was going on between the two and advised them that their actions were unlawful.
“She used to visit my son at home and they would lock themselves in his room until one day I confronted them and told them that they were related in case they did not know,” he said.
The two reportedly continued with their affair until Ncube fell pregnant and gave birth to a child, causing tension in the family.
Ndlovu then left for South Africa and only returned to visit his family, but he was immediately arrested and charged with incest.
