A woman from Mberengwa whose 16-year-old daughter got
pregnant with a married man aged 19 has blamed the long Covid-19 lockdown for
the pregnancy.
Cecelia Makane told The Mirror that her daughter is in Form
3 but she is now three months pregnant. She said that had there been no
lockdown, her daughter would have been in school for lessons at the time that
she got pregnant.
Makane (34) appeared in court last week after she assaulted
a woman who had beaten her daughter for getting pregnant with married Witness
Gwereva. The complainant, Modester Mashiri (20) is a relative of the wife of
the man who impregnated her daughter.
Makane appeared before Mberengwa magistrate Evia Matura
facing assault charges and was sentenced to seven months;three months were
suspended for five years on condition she will not commit a similar offence.
Four months were suspended on condition she completes 140hours community
service at Wanezi Clinic.
The State said on August 24, 2020 at Village 2, Chief
Bvute, Makane attacked Mashiri at around 6pm and the matter was reported to the
Police leading to the arrest of the accused.
Makane said she committed the offence because Mashiri had
harassed and fought her daughter for getting pregnant with her relative’s
husband. She apologised for reacting angrily and said she did so because
Mashiri was older than her daughter.
“My daughter was supposed to be in school at Murezu
Secondary. I am deeply hurt as a mother to tell you that she is three months
pregnant with an unemployed 19-year-old married man.”
She said the pregnancy of the minor was not reported to
Police because Gwereva pleaded with Chief Bvute that he will marry my daughter
as a second wife.
“He pleaded with the chief to have the matter resolved out
of court and the chief accepted.
“On August 22, 2020 I saw my daughter coming home crying.
She told me that Mashiri, a relative of Gwereva’s wife had insulted and
harassed her telling her to leave her relative’s husband and go back to school.
“Because of this we have gone back to the chief again and
Gwereva has been summoned,” said Makane.
Hilder Chitemerere prosecuted. Masvingo Mirror
0 comments:
Post a Comment