Four years in jail for marrying underage girl

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Machinga

A court in Mzimba district has sentenced a 23 year-old man for marrying an underage girl.

According to members of the community, the man, Tembani Theu, was working as a herdboy near the 14 year-old girl’s home area and they eventually met.

The young man then proposed to the teenage girl, who was staying with her grandparent, and the two later began living together as husband and wife.  

CourtBut the teenage girl’s mother who lives in South Africa was shocked when her parents told her that her daughter got married.

The woman asked her parents to go and look for the child and to report the issue to Mzimba police victim support unit.

Officers at Mzimba Police Station later arrested Theu and in court he was sentenced to 4 years in prison.

Meanwhile the girl has been sent back to her family.

Theu hails from Katula Theu village, TA Mzikubola in Mzimba.