A disturbing case of alleged child sexual exploitation has emerged where a couple is accused of facilitating the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl in exchange for food and money.
The alleged incident occurred at Mabondvweni in the Lubombo region, where the teenager had been living with her 29-year-old aunt and the aunt’s 31-year-old husband.
According to information gathered, the abuse is alleged to have taken place in June 2024, when a 32-year-old man from Bethany allegedly had unlawful sexual intercourse with the minor, resulting in her falling pregnant.
Investigations further revealed that the girl’s aunt and her husband allegedly arranged for the child to be sexually exploited by the suspect in return for food and financial assistance. The arrangement is alleged to have continued while the teenager was under the couple’s care.
The matter came to light after the survivor returned to her grandmother’s home and disclosed the alleged abuse. Concerned by the girl’s account, the grandmother is said to have reported the matter to the police, prompting an investigation.
Following what the police described as thorough investigations, the 32-year-old suspect was arrested on Sunday.
The survivor’s aunt and her husband have since been charged with commercial sexual exploitation of a child under Section 13(1) and (2) of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act, 2018.
Section 13 of the Act criminalises the commercial sexual exploitation of children. It prohibits any person from recruiting, harbouring, transferring, providing, receiving or allowing a child to be used for sexual exploitation in exchange for money, goods, services or any other form of benefit. The law also makes it an offence for any person to profit, directly or indirectly, from the commercial sexual exploitation of a child, recognising that children cannot legally consent to such exploitation.
The 32-year-old man has also been charged with contravening the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act, 2018, in connection with the alleged rape of the 15-year-old girl, which allegedly resulted in her pregnancy.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Senior Superintendent Phindile Zwane confirmed the arrests and charges.
Reacting to the couple’s alleged involvement in the minor’s abuse, Eswatini Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA) Executive Director Nonhlanhla Dlamini strongly condemned the alleged conduct, saying no level of poverty or hardship could ever justify exposing a child to sexual abuse.
She said while families might face severe economic challenges, allowing a child to be sexually exploited in exchange for food or money was unacceptable. If assistance was needed, she said, there were other lawful and dignified alternatives. For instance, she said the teenager could have been allowed to perform legitimate household chores, such as cleaning, in exchange for food or financial assistance, rather than being subjected to abuse.
“Poverty is never an excuse to expose a child to sexual abuse. Situations like these show a disturbing loss of humanity. If the suspect genuinely had the means to help the child and her family, he should simply have assisted them instead of allegedly taking advantage of her vulnerability,” said Dlamini.
She welcomed the arrests made in the case, saying it was encouraging that both the girl’s guardians and the alleged perpetrator had been brought before the law.
“We are pleased that all those allegedly involved have been arrested. This sends a strong message that anyone who exploits children, whether they are family members, guardians or outsiders, will be held accountable. We hope the law takes its full course and that justice is served for the child,” she said.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident that also happened in the Lubombo region, the police have arrested a 22-year-old man from Mabantaneni in connection with the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl from the same area.
According to the police, the alleged offence occurred last Friday.
