Chronicle EditorMichael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
THE husband of child bride Anna “Memory” Machaya (15) who died while giving birth at an Apostolic sect at Marange in Manicaland province has been charged with murder.
Members of the Criminal Investigation Department homicide section on Friday picked up the late Anna Machaya’s parents at their Kwekwe homestead as investigations into the death of the teenager deepen.
Anna Machaya died while giving birth at a shrine and her “husband” Hatirarami Momberume has since been arrested and appeared in court facing murder charges.
Anna’s father, Edmore Machaya (45) and her mother Shy Mabika (36) both of Garibold Farm in Kwekwe, were the latest to be picked up by police for allegedly giving false information to the police.
They have since appeared before Kwekwe Magistrate Mrs Florence Nago facing charges of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
They were denied bail and remanded to 9 September.
Prosecuting, Ms Michelle Daraja told the court that the two gave false information to the police following the death of their child.
“On 15 July, Anna Machaya passed on after giving birth to a baby boy in Marange area in Manicaland. Detectives from Homicide Harare were tasked to investigate circumstances surrounding the death. On 9 August the two accused persons who are biological parents of the deceased were approached by detectives making an inquiry into the said death and another charge of having sexual intercourse with a young person in which the deceased was a victim,” Daraja told the court.
The court was further told that the couple gave false information.
“The two accused with intention of defeating the course of justice and acting in common purpose deliberately gave false information that the deceased was Memory Machaya whose date of birth was 2 January 1999. The accused further gave police detectives a national registration certificate of the said Memory Machaya which they knew belonged to another person who is not the deceased intending to mislead investigations,” she said.
Investigations by the police however, led to the obtaining of a copy of the deceased’s birth certificate from the Registrar showing that the two accused persons are the biological parents of the deceased.
Investigations also revealed that the mother of Memory Machaya is Rachael Machaya and not Shy Mabika as stated by the two accused persons in their sworn statements. Ms Memory Machaya is 22 years old while the deceased Anna Machaya was 15 years old.
In denying the two bail, Mrs Nago noted that the two were likely to interfere with investigations.
In her submissions opposing bail, Ms Daraja said the father of the deceased had a known record/previous conviction and had pending cases at court.
“The State also has overwhelming evidence against the accused persons that conviction is very likely which will act as an incentive for accused persons to evade trial once admitted to bail,” she said.
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