THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has launched an investigation into a case where a 15-year-old girl from Kadoma was married off to a Chinese national and forced to drop out of school.
The victim (name withheld) of ward 5, Chief Neuso in
Sanyati district, Mashonaland West province was reportedly married off to the
Chinese national and US$2 000 was paid to her parents as lobola on November 26
this year.
The Chinese national allegedly works at Ringxin/Mambo Mine
as an engineer.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
confirmed the incident to NewsDay.
‘‘As police, I can confirm that we have launched an
investigation into the case. For now, we can’t comment any further despite the
fact that we are still conducting investigations,” Nyathi said.
On Wednesday, the police in Sanyati intervened and rescued
the girl, although her parents are insisting that the Chinese national is their
son-in-law.
Sources say the Chinese nationals working at mines near
Kadoma target young girls, mostly virgins, for marriage.
One Tichaona Mapara said the problem was being fuelled by
poverty among families that live in the gold-rich area.
‘‘Several parents of unmarried virgin girls are also eyeing
these Chinese men to marry off their young girls in early forced marriages,’’
Mapara told NewsDay.
Areas such as Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East and
Mashonaland West are the worst affected by child marriages. Newsday
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