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Grade 7 Pupil Married

The Herald (Harare)
19 Sept. 2007

A 26 year old man who six months ago married a 13-year-old Grade 7 pupil, forcing her to drop out of school, has been arrested and charged with child abuse.

Enos Bhamu, a member of the Johanne Marange apostolic sect, has since arraigned before Bindura magistrate Mr Charles Murove for breaching the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which forbids one to have a relationship or sexual encounter with a minor under the age of 16.

Bhamu, of Chiweshe Village under Chief Masembura in Musana communal lands, pleaded not guilty, saying the girl lied to him that she was 17.

For the State, prosecutor Mr Guni Guni alleged that Bhamu first met the girl in February 2007 at a church service at Damusi near Nyava Business Centre in Musana and proposed love to her, but was turned down. In March, during another church service, Bhamu allegedly approached the girl and proposed love for the second time and she accepted. A week later, Bhamu customarily married the girl and they began living together as husband and wife. In her statement to the police, the girl said Bhamu first approached her during a January church service and she spurned his advances.

The girl said in March she decided to accept his proposal as she believed she would have a better life at the new home.

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