Panashe Mpofu, a woman from Bulawayo, has recently been released from Mlondozi Prison, part of Khami Maximum Prison, after serving a two-year sentence for disciplining teenagers, including her own child, who were found hosting a Vuzu party during school hours.
Chronicle has it that Ms. Mpofu had been impr!soned since November 14 and was set free following a review of her case by Justice Evangelista Kabasa of the Bulawayo High Court.
The incident took place in the Luveve suburb, where Ms. Mpofu discovered that her son and his friends, all in Form Two, were engaging in activities characteristic of Vuzu parties, which are notorious for encouraging under-age drinking, substance abuse, and unprotected casual s3x.
These events pose significant risks to the health and safety of teenage girls, potentially leading to STIs and unwanted pregnancies.
Upon learning about the party after returning home from church one Friday, Ms. Mpofu found the teenagers drinking alcohol.
In her defense, she felt compelled to discipline them but was later reported to the police by the mother of one girl who claimed that Ms. Mpofu had acted inappropriately. Following her arrest, Ms. Mpofu faced legal proceedings where she was sentenced to two years in prison, though it was later communicated that six months would be deducted from her sentence.
ALSO READ: PICTURES: Couple hosts wedding with bridesmaids & groomsmen in birth suits
In a video recorded from pr!son, Ms. Mpofu recounted her plight, stating, “When I said I wanted to present my witnesses, they said my issue did not have witnesses, of which all my witnesses were there, but were not given a chance to say anything, leading to my fate.”
The circumstances surrounding her conviction drew public outcry, with many residents of Bulawayo and social media users arguing that she was penalized for fulfilling her parental duty of reprimanding children for their misbehavior.
Following the review of her case, Mrs. Vimbai Nyemba, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, confirmed that Justice Kabasa had quashed the magistrate’s sentence and issued a warrant of liberation. “If there is a dispute concerning a lower court’s judgment, a High Court judge revisits the papers for the case in question and they can issue a warrant of liberation or they can agree with the judgment,” Mrs. Nyemba explained.
Ms. Mpofu was represented by attorney Mr. Tinashe Runganga of Tanaka Law Chambers in Bulawayo. Her case has sparked discussions on parental discipline, the justice system, and the societal expectations of responsible behaviors among teenagers.
