Impregnating minor lands teen in trouble

A BULAWAYO teenager has been arrested after he allegedly impregnated an underage girl.

Talent Maphosa (19) of Cowdray Park suburb appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu charged with having sexual intercourse with a minor. He pleaded guilty and was remanded out of custody to tomorrow for continuation of trial.

Maphosa told the magistrate that he did not know that the girl was a minor as she allegedly lied about her age to him.

“Your worship, I did not know that she was an underage girl. She told me that she was 17 years old and was born in 1999,” said Moyo.

Prosecuting, Mr Kenneth Shava said Maphosa had been in a relationship with the 15 year old girl, whose name has been withheld for ethical reasons but is from the same suburb.

Maphosa allegedly started having an affair with the minor sometime in February.

“On a date unknown to the prosecutor but between February and April 2016, the accused person invited the complainant to his house on several occasions,” said the prosecutor.

The court heard that during the visits, Maphosa and the juvenile had consensual sexual intercourse.

It is alleged that the matter came to light when the girl’s grandmother noticed that the minor was pregnant and then demanded to know who the father of the baby was.

Prosecutor Shava said: “The complainant discovered that she was pregnant and was discovered by her guardian who demanded to know who was responsible. This is when she revealed that she had been in a sexual relationship with the accused person.”

The complainant was referred to Mpilo Central Hospital for a medical examination, which confirmed that she was pregnant. — @andile_tshuma.