Second bite of the cherry for child bride
HIEF Makoni has ordered a polygamous man to return a 17-year-old Form Four learner who was surrendered to him by her parents after he had slept with her.
The traditional leader further ordered the father of the teenager, Shupikai Mangoma to use the US$255 that was paid by the polygamist, Obvious Munyangarirwa as part of damages as school fees for the girl. He ordered Mangoma to re-enroll the teenager in school so that she sits for her Ordinary Level examinations since she is not pregnant.
Mangoma had dragged his neighbour, Munyangarirwa to the community court, demanding lobola for his daughter he was staying with.
“Munyangarirwa who is my neighbour slept with my daughter early this year and I discovered it. My daughter eloped to him and stopped going to school. I am in pain because I had paid for her fees and examination fees, but she did not sit for the exams.
“My neighbour who already has another wife started abusing my daughter. To further compound the whole situation, Munyangarirwa went on to take a third wife. I reported the matter to this court, and he begged me to have an out of court settlement.
“Munyangarirwa was issued with summons to appear before this court, but he tricked me not to attend the court hearing, opting for an out of court settlement. Little did I know that he went behind my back and attended the hearing. The matter was dismissed since I had defaulted attending
Cthe hearing as the complainant. I want Munyangarirwa to pay me three beasts, three goats and US$1 000 as damages,”the father of the child said. In response, the polygamous man denied that the girl eloped to him and said she was accompanied by her aunt and other relatives to his place with Mangoma’s full blessings.
Munyangarirwa said the father charged him a beast and US$255 as damages.
“I dispute that the girl eloped to me, but all the due processes were done after I paid a beast and US$255 as damages. She was accompanied to my place by her relatives. We have been staying together in Mutare for the past five months as husband and wife. She is still to fall pregnant and it is not true that I am ill-treating her,”said the polygamous man.
In his ruling, Chief Makoni said both Mangoma and Munyangarirwa were morally wrong to accept or pay the lobola or damages for a school going girl who is yet to reach the legal age of majority.
“We are dealing with two insensitive men here, one who slept with a school girl, and one who marries off a school girl. The father of the child said he is bitter that her child is now out of school, yet he is the one who facilitated that by chucking his daughter out, yet she is not pregnant.
“It seems the father wants to profiteer out of her daughter’s unfortunate situation. Both of you are guilty. Munyangarirwa should with immediate effect return the girl to her father. Mangoma should use the US$255 he received from the man to enroll the girl back in school so that she completes her education. The girl is not pregnant, so her life can still be rescued,”ruled Chief Makoni.