Azvishavane cleric has been convicted on three counts of aggravated indecent assault on an 18-year-old male congregant.

Pastor Severino Mbwende of New Creation Life Church in Zvishavane appeared before Kwekwe Magistrate Mildred Matuvi, who sentenced him to an effective 18 years' imprisonment.

The prosecutor alleged that the man-of-the-cloth visited the victim's family on the night of August 10 and was asked to share a bed with the teenager since he was sleeping over at the house.

At around midnight, the victim woke up to find offender caressing him. When questioned, the pastor told victim that "he was too handsome" and that his lack of facial hair made him feel he was "sharing a bed with a lady."

The pastor threatened the victim with a firearm before forcibly stripping him naked.

Court heard that the offender repeatedly sodomised the victim at the house in Redcliff, Kwekwe, during the early hours of August 11, 2025.

The next day, before leaving for Zvishavane, the clergyman further threatened to shoot dead victim if he disclosed the ordeal. However, the victim confided in his aunt, who reported the matter to police leading to offender's arrest.