The two siblings never imagined they would soon be convicted criminals after they decided to be intimate on Christ-mas Eve last year.

Yeukai Semeni Nyamhanza (23) and his sister Rumbidzai (19) — who is now five months pregnant — are performing community service at Dotito Clinic and Kadohwata Primary School respectively.

They are staying with an uncle in Dotito following the death of their father while their mother is in Guruve.

Reporters tracked them down and found them at their court-ordered duties.

After taking some time to convince him to talk, Yeukai — a Form Four dropout — hesitantly granted the interview and admitted to initiating the rela-tionship.

"It was on Christmas Eve when I proposed love to her. The two of us were in the kitchen hut chatting when I suddenly decided to propose love to her. I just told her I loved her and she accepted my proposal," Yeukai said.

Yeukai said that night the two became intimate.

Asked why he proposed love to his sister instead of courting other village girls, Yeukai said he had never planned it that way.

"It just happened. I never had a girlfriend before. I believe this was the work of evil spirits.

"There are so many girls in this village, but it never came to my mind to propose love to any of them. I still cannot believe I did this," he said.

Yeukai said he would sneak to his sister’s bedroom hut to sleep with her.

"We were intimate on three occasions," he said.

Asked if he was going to call the baby his son/daughter or nephew/niece, Yeukai could not answer.

"Inga ndataura wani? Ndinzwirei tsitsi varume ndiri kupazama nayo nyaya iyi. (Haven’t I told you enough? Feel pity for me, I am tormented)," he said.

Yeukai said his uncle was furious when he found out what was happening.

"He said the whole family was now a disgrace in the community. Truly, I do not understand how I ended myself in this mess," he said.

Rumbidzai, who dropped out of school in Grade Six, said she accepted her brother’s proposal.

"On Christmas Day at around 9pm my younger sister stormed into my bedroom hut. She caught us pants down and reported the matter to our uncle.

"Our uncle informed our aunt but she never confronted me about it. The relationship only came to light after uncle noticed I was pregnant," she said.

She said the uncle quizzed her over the pregnancy and she confessed to the incestuous relationship.

Chief Dotito said he believed intermittent natural disasters befalling the community were a result of such behaviour.

"Only recently a hailstorm swept across villages," he said.

Chief Dotito said incest normally angered the ancestors who would punish them with natural disasters.

"They should be brought before the chief’s court and pay two beasts and two goats, which are used to appease the ancestors," he said.

By Special correspondent