The father of a 19-year-old boy and the mother of a 15-year-old girl have been arrested for forcing the girl into marriage with the boy.
The 19-year-old boy who has been convicted of defilement revealed in court that the parents forced the two to get married.
Mangochi Police Station Publicist Sub Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi said the two suspects are Adam Kazembe, 42, who is a father to the boy and Mercy Manyowa, 38, a mother to the 15-year-old victim.
According to Daudi, Senior Resident Magistrate’s court ordered the arrest of the duo following a confession by the boy during court proceedings.
In March, 2022, after the teenager came back from Republic of South Africa, he and his father agreed with woman to a pre-arranged marriage between the two teenagers without the victim’s consent.
“The victim who is also a Standard 8 learner was being forced by her mother to spend the nights with the convict and perform wife duties while being defiled in the process,” he explained.
The matter came to light in May 2022 and concerned members of the community tipped the class teacher of the victim who later reported the matter to Chiponde Police Unit.
The police arrested the boy and also issued a referral letter for medical examination at Chiponde Health Centre where results confirmed that the victim was defiled.
The two suspects will appear before court to answer the charges of forcing a child into marriage which contravenes section 81(a) as read with section 83 of Child Care and Justice Act.
Both suspects hail from Traditional Authority Jalasi in Mangochi.
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