Opinion / Columnist
Woman jailed for forging daughter's birth certificate
26 Oct 2020 at 06:48hrs | Views
A RUWA woman (36), who forged her daughter's birth certificate in a bid to inherit her late landlord's estate, was last Thursday slapped with an 18-month jail sentence by Marondera magistrate Ignatius Mhene who convicted her on fraud charges.
Abigail Muchafuruka attempted to include her daughter in the estate of her late landlord Peter Kandawasvika, with whom she alleged she had an affair, which resulted in them having her (daughter) together.
Muchafuruka will, however, perform 420 hours of community service at Ruwa Police Station after the sentence was wholly suspended on the basis that she has four minor children.
The woman told the court that she had an affair with the late Kandawasvika and a daughter was born. But her claims were refuted after the Registrar-General's office revealed that the child was registered without the name of the father.
According to court papers, on July 9 this year, Muchafuruka filed an opposing affidavit against an application for rescission of judgment by the late Kandawasvika's wife in a civil case. In the opposing affidavit the accused attached a forged copy of her daughter's birth certificate.
The court said by tendering the forged copy of the birth certificate, the accused person misrepresented to it that the late Kandawasvika was the biological father of her daughter, as indicated in the column marked father of child.
The matter came to light after the deceased's wife noted that there was different printing on the father's details in the forged copy of the birth certificate and reported the matter to police.
Investigations were carried out by police through the Registrar-General's office and it was proved that the birth entry had her daughter's name but the column marked father of child was blank. This led to her arrest.
John Hama represented the State.
Abigail Muchafuruka attempted to include her daughter in the estate of her late landlord Peter Kandawasvika, with whom she alleged she had an affair, which resulted in them having her (daughter) together.
Muchafuruka will, however, perform 420 hours of community service at Ruwa Police Station after the sentence was wholly suspended on the basis that she has four minor children.
The woman told the court that she had an affair with the late Kandawasvika and a daughter was born. But her claims were refuted after the Registrar-General's office revealed that the child was registered without the name of the father.
According to court papers, on July 9 this year, Muchafuruka filed an opposing affidavit against an application for rescission of judgment by the late Kandawasvika's wife in a civil case. In the opposing affidavit the accused attached a forged copy of her daughter's birth certificate.
The court said by tendering the forged copy of the birth certificate, the accused person misrepresented to it that the late Kandawasvika was the biological father of her daughter, as indicated in the column marked father of child.
The matter came to light after the deceased's wife noted that there was different printing on the father's details in the forged copy of the birth certificate and reported the matter to police.
Investigations were carried out by police through the Registrar-General's office and it was proved that the birth entry had her daughter's name but the column marked father of child was blank. This led to her arrest.
John Hama represented the State.
Source - newsday
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