A Harare woman appeared in court yesterday facing charges of indecently assaulting a three-year-old boy. Mellisa Nkoma (25) who is on bail denied the charges when she appeared before regional magistrate Ms Esthere Chivasa. In her defence, Nkoma claimed that the boy's mother, who was not in good books with her cooked up the allegations to fix her.

"I am not in good books with the complainants' mother. I am in good books with his grandmother and she knows that I did not do what I am alleged to have done," she said.

The boy's mother had since been chased away from the grandmothers' house as a result of the false report. In his evidence while being led by prosecutor Mr Liberty Gono the boy said Nkoma indecently assaulted her adding that she was not his friend. The trial continues on Friday. The State alleges Nkoma allegedly indecently assaulted the boy who later narrated his ordeal to his mother who reported the matter to the police leading to Nkoma's arrest.