A 33-year-old vendor from Gokwe has been sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of drawing blood from a 10-year-old schoolgirl using a needle. The incident, which has left residents of Gokwe reeling, occurred on 26 May 2025, near Sai Mart Supermarket in Gokwe’s central business district.
Mavis Sibanda, who operates a stall in the area, appeared before the Gokwe Magistrates’ Court on a charge of assault. She was convicted and handed a 24-month custodial sentence.
According to court proceedings, Sibanda called the Grade 5 pupil over to her market stall at around 10:00 am. She then asked the child for her right forefinger, before forcibly pricking it with a needle and collecting a blood sample. Disturbingly, she then applied the blood to an HIV testing kit.
The unexpected and traumatic encounter left the young girl in tears. Her distress caught the attention of two concerned men who found her crying nearby. After listening to her account, they escorted her home and relayed the disturbing events to her father.
WATCH | A woman named Mavis Sibanda (33), who worked as a vendor in Gokwe CBD, appeared at the Gokwe Magistrates’ Court on a charge of assault. She was found guilty and sentenced to 24 months in prison.
The incident happened on May 26, 2025, around 10:00 am at Sai Mart… pic.twitter.com/DfWGblzfIU
— Crime Watch Zimbabwe (@crimewatchzw) May 29, 2025
A police report was swiftly filed, leading to Sibanda’s arrest. Midlands Provincial police spokesman, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, confirmed the shocking incident.
“Zimbabwe Republic Police arrested a 33-year-old woman on allegations of assault involving the draining of blood from a 10-year-old juvenile. The case occurred in Gokwe Town on 26 May 2025 at about 10 am,” he said.
Inspector Mahoko added that Sibanda was at her marketplace in Gokwe town when the incident took place. “It is alleged, she called a 10-year-old girl who was passing by and injected her with a needle before draining blood that filled the syringe,” he said.
Following her arrest, Sibanda appeared at the Gokwe Magistrates’ Court. She was found guilty of assaulting the young girl.
In court, Sibanda, who works as a vendor, pleaded for leniency, telling the magistrate that she had children to care for. However, her pleas were unsuccessful, and she was sentenced to two years in prison.
Inspector Mahoko explained that Sibanda was at her marketplace in Gokwe town when the incident took place. He said that she called the young girl, who was passing by, over to her stall. Sibanda then allegedly used a needle, typically used in hospitals, to prick the child and draw blood.
Follow @MyZimbabweNews
