In a chilling case that has stunned the Gokwe community, a 33-year-old vendor was on Monday sentenced to 24 months in prison for unlawfully drawing blood from a minor using an HIV testing kit.

Mavis Sibanda who operates a stall appeared before the Gokwe Magistrates' Court facing a charge of assault.

She was convicted and handed a two-year custodial sentence.

According to court proceedings, the incident occurred on May 26, 2025, at around 10:00am outside Sai Mart Supermarket in Gokwe.

Sibanda reportedly called a 10-year-old Grade 5 pupil to her vending stall under the pretext of a casual interaction.

She then asked the child for her right forefinger, forcibly pricked it with a needle and collected a blood sample which she applied 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.

A police report was swiftly filed, leading to Sibanda's arrest.