HIV+ couple slapped with 39 months jail term for abortion

AN HIV-positive couple has been slapped with 39 months imprisonment which was wholly suspended for 945 hours of community services for terminating a three-month-old pregnancy using an unknown drug they had bought from a friend for $30.

Moreen and Jabulani Moyo appeared before the Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Dube, where they pleaded guilty to the charge.

For the State, Vimbai Chikosha told the court that the couple agreed to hire a person who was going to help them with the termination of the foetus and they paid $30 after he had performed the abortion.

According to the State's outline, a dead foetus was found in Njube suburb at around 9am by a minor who then called Kholwani Tshuma. Tshuma reported the matter to the police.

The police were called to scene and immediately took the foetus to United Bulawayo Hospitals for a post mortem. Manford Mapubula, a ZRP officer, said he found the foetus in a drainage, with fresh blood, which to him was evidence that the termination had been done not too long ago.