A teenager from Kadoma, Zimbabwe, was found guilty of falsely accusing a man of a serious crime, an act that could have resulted in severe consequences for the innocent accused party had the truth not been revealed in time.

The court’s decision to render a more lenient sentence in this case has triggered a wave of criticism online, especially from Zimbabwean men who feel that justice has not been appropriately served in this instance.

The 18-year-old girl, whose identity has been kept confidential due to legal restrictions, was brought before the Kadoma Magistrates’ Court to answer for her actions of knowingly providing false information to law enforcement.

According to court proceedings, the incident began on the night of May 9, 2025, when the teenager filed a police report claiming she had been r@ped by a man known only as “Mupostori.” However, on May 19, she returned to the police and admitted that the allegation was false. She clarified that the man had assaulted her after she tried to search his pockets and that she had fabricated the r@pe claim out of spite.

Following a full trial, the court found the teenager guilty. However, instead of a custodial sentence, the court opted for a rehabilitative approach. She was sentenced to six months in prison, with two months suspended for five years on the condition of good behaviour. The remaining four months were suspended on the condition that she completes 140 hours of community service.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA) confirmed the conviction in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, June 5, 2025. The post quickly went viral, drawing a strong response from users. While some welcomed the conviction as a positive step, many, particularly male commentators, voiced outrage over what they described as an inadequate punishment for a crime that could have irreversibly damaged an innocent man’s life.