MAN, 23, IMPREGNATES 15-YEAROLD GIRL
A 23-year-old Zimbabwean man who impregnated a 15-year-old girl and built her family a house has argued in court that he did not know the girl was underage.
Investigating Officer, Inspector Bross Ntswetswe of Thamaga Police, stated in court on Tuesday that 23-year-old Andrew Ngoni had readily admitted during police interrogation that he had impregnated the girl and built her a house at her mother’s yard.
The police are said to have been alerted to the defilement by neighbours when the Standard Six schoolgirl had already given birth to a two-month-old boy. The little boy is now 17 months old.
Giving evidence in court, Inspector Ntswetswe said he was allocated the case on December 9th, 2020.
“During the interview of the victim in the presence of her mother, she said she met the accused in December 2020 in Tloaneng. She stated that the accused proposed love to her and she agreed to date him. When I asked the girl why she fell in love with someone a little bit older than her, she said she didn’t tell him her age and she said she was old enough,” explained the cop.
The police officer further stated before court that during investigations, the Zimbabwean young man didn’t deny his affair with the teenager and stated instead that he met her when they were out having fun at night and dated her for sometime until she fell pregnant.
“Accused further said he didn’t know the victim was underage and, every time he visited her at her parents’ house, the parents didn’t tell him that she was underage,” confidently explained Inspector Ntswetswe.
Ngoni has been in custody since January 2021 and couldn’t be given bail because he was found out to be in the country illegally.
Meanwhile, Ngoni has indicated that he preferred to give sworn evidence and avail two witnesses at the continuation of his trial scheduled for March 31st, 2022.
Speaking in an interview after the court session, the girl’s 41-year-old mother confirmed to this publication that indeed the accused built them a 2-and-a-half house, which they now occupy after moving from their traditional hut.
“I wasn’t aware the accused was in love with my daughter. I only saw him when my daughter was already two months pregnant. I was called at school after the teacher suspected the girl was pregnant and later the social worker came with the police, then a case was registered,” said the older woman.