Pregnant Student (16) Becomes Centre Of An Explosive Between Two Lovers (24) And (41)

A TEENAGE student, who was impregnated by her lover who later married her, has become the centre of an explosive dispute between her family and her other lover.

The 16-year-old, whose name we have withheld, has since stopped going to school and is staying with her 24-year-old husband, James Tomerai.

However, her other lover, 41-year-old Brian Mukando, is crying foul because he says he also wanted to marry the teenager.

He now wants James to be arrested, for “abusing the pregnant teenager,” and says he will then take care of both the teenager and the kid she will deliver.

Brian spent the better part of yesterday at Waterfalls Police Station trying to lodge a police report against James.

It is now an offence to initiate or have any sexual or indecent relations with anyone under the age of 18 in Zimbabwe, as the new age of consent of 18, was brought into statute law.

While the age of consent for sexual relations was set in statute law at 16, this was raised to 18 as a result of the Constitutional Court confirming that the minimum age for marriage set at 18 in the Constitution also logically applied to the age of consent, so raising that to 18.

The opportunity has been taken to include acts that a reasonable person would see as an indecent act, and to make it clear that even asking a person under 18 to take part in sexual or indecent acts is an offence.

The penalties are set at level 12 fines or a maximum of 10 years in jail.

Brian clashed with the teenager’s family on Sunday questioning its decision to give her the greenlight to marry James.

Brian has been keeping the birth certificate of the teenager since last year.

He confronted her mother after he received news that she had been impregnated by another man.

The daughter told H-Metro that Brian has been threatening to be witch her that she nearly committed suicide.

The teenager told H-Metro:

“Brian has been a thorn in my flesh since last year.

“I nearly took my life when he took my birth certificate claiming that he was to visit Chipinge and consult a sangoma so that I won’t get married to another man besides him.

“It affected me, up to this day, since he is still withholding my birth certificate.

“My parents separated and it affected me when it came to school fees.

“Brian paid for one term and that is the money he using to claim that he should take me as his wife.”

She added:

“He used to be a tenant here and moved out to stay in Lochinvar where he kept asking me to visit him to get my birth certificate.

“I knew that he wanted to rape me, and I refused.

“I later decided to give in to my lover’s sexual demands to test if Brian’s claims of bewitching me was true.

“I conceived, eloped and he is the one I am living with.

“Akangobvisa tsvakirai kuno kuvabereki vangu.”

She said she has been battling a number of challenges.

“Ndakatiza nhamo yakanga yakusangana namai vangu nekuda kwekutiza kwakaita baba vachitora mumwe mudzimai saka vanababa munini ndivo vakatambira roora racho.

“It is my wish to live peacefully, look after my mother and siblings as well as further my education.”

Her mother confirmed receiving lobola from James said she was also living in fear.

“We are living in fear of Brian who took my daughter’s birth certificate to a sangoma.

“He has been sending threatening audio messages after learning about my daughter’s recent marriage.

“My husband abandoned me for another woman and I have been struggling to feed my five children,” she said.

Her husband’s younger brother, who received the lobola, refused to entertain H-Metro.

Brian confirmed he was in possession of the birth certificate and said he wanted to protect the teenager from being abused.

“I have her birth certificate as well as receipts of her school fees which I paid,” said Brian.

“Her mother, together with her father’s younger brother, gave such a young, beautiful and intelligent girl into marriage.

“She has since stopped going to school and she is living with a man.

“Ndirikurwadziwa nazvo nekuti mwana aigona iyeyu saka ndinoda kuti akapanhumbu mwana uyu asungwe uye ini ndinosara zvangu ndichichengeta mwana uyu nemimba nemwana achazvarwa.

“Ini handina mwana saka ndivo vana vangu ivavo, ngaasungwe murume arikugara nemwana uyu,” said Brian.

Brian’s first wife died before they were blessed with a child.

He married another wife and later caught her with another man.

James could not be reached for his side of the story yesterday.