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Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent
A BUHERA teenager was today dragged to court for taking in a 15-year-old juvenile as his wife.
Butwell Jokono (18) of Chayamiti Village under Chief Chamutsa, who is now staying with the girl, pleaded guilty to charges of contravening Section 70 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23 which criminalises bedding a minor when he appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Mr Alfred Chinembiri.
However, Jokono escaped custodial sentence as he committed the offence while he was still a juvenile last year.
Mr Chinembiri cautioned and released him.
Prosecuting, Ms Delia Kataziye told the court that sometime in January last year, the accused and the complainant fell in love after he had proposed to her.
“On an unknown day, but in February last year, Jokono lured the complainant to the gardens at Deure where they became intimate,” said Ms Kataziye.
She said this continued several times at the rendezvous.
Ms Kataziye said the matter only came to light after the juvenile’s grandmother discovered that she had fallen pregnant.
“The complainant eloped to the accused’s homestead and Jokonoko took her in as his wife. A police report was made and the juvenile was medically examined, leading to Jokonoko arrest,” she said.
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