Staff Reporter
In what can only be described as a tale straight out of a bad soap opera, six students from two local colleges in Chitungwiza have found themselves at the centre of an ongoing investigation after being discovered in, let's just say, a less-than-scholarly situation. The incident, which took place at a lodge on last Tuesday, has ignited a flurry of concern, outrage, and no small amount of gossip, prompting the local authorities to jump into action.
According to police reports, the students – whose names are still being kept under wraps, perhaps to protect them from a lifetime of awkward dinner table conversations – were found in a lodge where they were allegedly engaging in, well, activities not listed in their college syllabi.
The lodge employee, who may or may not have been oblivious to the extracurricular activities going on under their nose, has been arrested, because, apparently, running a lodge these days requires a crash course in crowd control.
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana, seemingly the only person not gasping in disbelief, laid down the law – literally.
"If the owner of a place knowingly induces or allows a child to enter or be in the place for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual conduct... the owner shall be guilty of permitting a child to resort to a place for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual conduct," Mangwana explained, in what we can assume was his best stern voice.
The legal consequences for such behaviour? A possible fine and a vacation behind bars for up to ten years – and that's not even counting the PR disaster.
Local resident and concerned citizen Pamela Zvirevo weighed in on the scandal, exclaiming, "We are worried about the safety of our children. It’s unfortunate that lodge owners are allowing minors to be involved in sexual activities."
One can only assume Pamela is now considering a career as a lodge inspector, ready to swoop in and protect the nation's youth from the temptations of room service and questionable decisions.
As for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), they have been working hard to piece together this puzzle of adolescent misadventure.
Investigators are combing through evidence, interviewing witnesses, and presumably trying to figure out how this lodge became an after-school hangout for students with a bit too much free time. Vigilance, responsibility, and perhaps a few more closed doors are now the new recommendations for lodge operators.
Rest assured, dear citizens, the ZRP has promised that all necessary steps will be taken to get to the bottom of this situation (no pun intended).
Further updates will be provided as the investigation continues, so stay tuned – though we can safely say this story has already given the town enough to talk about for weeks.
