9 Harare Women Sentenced for Advertising Bota as Massage Services

Nine women in Harare, aged between 19 and 27, have been sentenced for advertising bota as massage services. The women were caught promoting the bota under the guise of offering massage therapy. They were arrested during a police operation after tip-offs about social media adverts on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook. The ads allegedly promoted massage and sexual services for a fee, with the location of their “business” included. The women were found semi-naked in a bedroom by an undercover officer posing as a client. They appeared before a magistrate and pleaded guilty to charges of soliciting for prostitution. Each woman was fined USD30, with the possibility of facing one month in jail if they fail to pay.