THERE was drama at the Hwange magistrates’ court on Friday
when a 14-year-old teenager started wailing and rolling on the floor before
stripping naked following the conviction of her 27-year-old boyfriend who had
been slapped with a 22-month jail term for sleeping with her.
The commotion brought business to a standstill as officials
frantically tried to calm the teenager who throughout the trial had insisted
that she was in love with the person, Misheck Muzamba.
The Form One pupil went berserk shouting at prison officers
and court officials and pulling her hair soon after the court had convicted
Muzamba.
She accused the court of taking away “her husband” whom she
was “deeply in love with” before threatening to commit suicide. It had to take
a counsellor from Girl Child Network to calm the teen who had started stripping
off her clothes in protest to the conviction of Muzamba.
Muzamba of C218 Lwendulu Village in Hwange had appeared
before provincial magistrate, Mrs Barbra Phiri facing charges of having sexual
intercourse with a young person and unlawful detention. He was slapped with a
22-month jail term for having sexual intercourse with a minor but 10 months
were conditionally suspended on condition of good behaviour.
He was, however, acquitted on the charge of unlawful
detention. Muzamba, who pleaded guilty, told the court that he had been forced
to live with the girl after she eloped to him adding that she had consented to
sexual intercourse.
“Your Worship, yes, I acknowledge that it was wrong to live
with the complainant but she is the one who came to stay with me. Our sexual
relations were consensual as we were in love. May this court forgive me,”
pleaded Muzamba.
State prosecutor Mrs Esther Sithole told the court that on
a date unknown but in July last year, Muzamba proposed love to the girl and she
accepted.
On 26 October 2018 he was warned by a probation officer not
to stay with the girl since she was a minor and without the approval of her
parents.
However, despite the caution Muzamba continued to stay with
the teen from 28 October to 4 February this year without the consent of the
girl’s parents.
Irked by Muzamba’s actions, the girl’s mother reported the
matter to the police leading to his arrest. Sunday News
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