News / National
Woman dies in failed abortion
07 Mar 2014 at 16:41hrs | Views
A 21-YEAR-OLD Mutare woman's desire to win back her estranged husband, which led to an attempt to terminate a pregnancy by another man, ended tragically when she bled profusely and died last Friday.
Adelaide Chinaka, who is alleged to have been assisted by her aunt Gertrude Gapara to abort her pregnancy, died last Friday morning after succumbing to excessive bleeding, which is said to have lasted for three days.
Apparently, Adelaide had separated with her husband Wilson Kamba and the two had one child together.
When The Weekender visited Adelaide's grandparents' home in Sakubva on Tuesday, mourners were grappling to come to terms with the tragic events surrounding her death.
Her grandmother, Naume Chinaka, who was battling to contain her emotions throughout the interview, blamed Adelaide's aunt for at least failing to notify them during the three days that the deceased bleed.
Mbuya Chinaka also blamed the deceased's aunt for informing them about her death later that day when she had passed away in the morning, yet the two families reside in the same town.
Adelaide's parents are also late.
"It all happened on Friday around 7am when a middle-aged man came here and asked me whether I was aware that Adelaide had passed away.
"The man said she had passed away after she tried to terminate her pregnancy. I could not believe it since we had not heard anything related to her illness. Later, one of my sons-in-law, Dongorere, came and made the same announcement.
"That is when I started crying. I could not bear the pain of hearing that one of my grandchildren, whom I personally raised after the death of her parents, had also died.
"It was painful to realise that she died while under the custody of her aunt in Garikai area, especially given the fact that it happened after she tried to abort.
"We are told that her aunt was even instrumental in having the pregnancy terminated.
"It is also painful to note that the aunt and her family decided to inform us about these events in the evening when the whole thing happened in the morning yet they stay in nearby Garikai suburb.
"There are a lot of questions that need answers, but unfortunately my granddaughter is gone," said Mbuya Chinaka.
Asked on the possible motive to terminate the pregnancy, Mbuya Chinaka said they suspected that she did not want her estranged husband to find out that she was pregnant since efforts were being made to reconcile.
"We suspect she did not want her estranged husband to know that she was pregnant since efforts were now being made to reconcile. The estranged husband even told us that they were now getting along very well and it was possible they could reunite. The husband is here and has helped a lot in terms of funeral expenses," she said.
Kamba also confirmed to The Weekender that efforts were being made to reconcile.
"I do not know much about the events leading to her death, but I can confirm that we were in the process of negotiating for reconciliation. She never told me about the pregnancy although at one point I was suspecting that she could be pregnant judging by some physical body transformations. I last slept with her in January 2013, but I really wanted to get her back and take care of our child together," he said.
The aunt, Gertrude Gapara, denied all the allegations and accused both Kamba, and the Chinaka family of lying.
She said she was denied the chance to attend Adelaide's burial because of the prevailing atmosphere at the funeral wake where she was being labelled a murderer.
"Thank you so much for seeking my side of the story. The truth about the whole issue is that there has always been bad blood between us and the Chinaka family hence the fabrications.
"First, it is not true that I assisted her (Adelaide) in aborting her pregnancy.
"In fact, I was shocked when I discovered it. I also called in neighbours to witness and help.
"It is sad that they now have the audacity to say all this yet they are the ones who chased her away from their home after she divorced with her husband.
"This happened irrespective of the fact I was the one who had been taking care of her using my own money though she was staying at the Chinakas' home.
"It is also not true that she bled for three days because it was on Thursday when it started and she passed away the following day. It is also not true that the so-called estranged husband – Kamba – last slept with her in January 2013.
"In fact, I last saw him on Monday when he had visited the deceased. I often come here and find him together with my daughter.
"Ndaitosvika kakawanda vakavharirana mumba, saka zvinondinetsa kuti nditi vange vasingarare vese sevanhu vaimbogara vese," she added.
"You see, this is why they barred me from attending the funeral because I wanted to give an account of the life of my young sister's children as it was. I was told by my uncle that the situation at the funeral was not conducive for me to attend because everyone was being made to believe that I am the villain," she said.
In a separate interview, Precious Musumba, the deceased sister's child, said the post-mortem confirmed that she succumbed to excessive bleeding after having tried to terminate a pregnancy using an unspecified concoction of herbal medicine as well as undisclosed tablets.
"We were told that she fell and collapsed while she was coming from fetching water in Garikai. Apparently, it was a result of excessive bleeding for three days that led to loss of energy.
"This was even confirmed by the doctors through the post-mortem results.
"We are not really aware of what she ingested to terminate the pregnancy, but it is understood to be an unspecified concoction of herbal medicine as well as undisclosed tablets.
"The sad thing is that her aunt, Getrude Gapara, is well known for assisting people abort and it is almost obvious that she is the one who was mentoring her," she alleged.
Adelaide Chinaka, who is alleged to have been assisted by her aunt Gertrude Gapara to abort her pregnancy, died last Friday morning after succumbing to excessive bleeding, which is said to have lasted for three days.
Apparently, Adelaide had separated with her husband Wilson Kamba and the two had one child together.
When The Weekender visited Adelaide's grandparents' home in Sakubva on Tuesday, mourners were grappling to come to terms with the tragic events surrounding her death.
Her grandmother, Naume Chinaka, who was battling to contain her emotions throughout the interview, blamed Adelaide's aunt for at least failing to notify them during the three days that the deceased bleed.
Mbuya Chinaka also blamed the deceased's aunt for informing them about her death later that day when she had passed away in the morning, yet the two families reside in the same town.
Adelaide's parents are also late.
"It all happened on Friday around 7am when a middle-aged man came here and asked me whether I was aware that Adelaide had passed away.
"The man said she had passed away after she tried to terminate her pregnancy. I could not believe it since we had not heard anything related to her illness. Later, one of my sons-in-law, Dongorere, came and made the same announcement.
"That is when I started crying. I could not bear the pain of hearing that one of my grandchildren, whom I personally raised after the death of her parents, had also died.
"It was painful to realise that she died while under the custody of her aunt in Garikai area, especially given the fact that it happened after she tried to abort.
"We are told that her aunt was even instrumental in having the pregnancy terminated.
"It is also painful to note that the aunt and her family decided to inform us about these events in the evening when the whole thing happened in the morning yet they stay in nearby Garikai suburb.
"There are a lot of questions that need answers, but unfortunately my granddaughter is gone," said Mbuya Chinaka.
Asked on the possible motive to terminate the pregnancy, Mbuya Chinaka said they suspected that she did not want her estranged husband to find out that she was pregnant since efforts were being made to reconcile.
"We suspect she did not want her estranged husband to know that she was pregnant since efforts were now being made to reconcile. The estranged husband even told us that they were now getting along very well and it was possible they could reunite. The husband is here and has helped a lot in terms of funeral expenses," she said.
Kamba also confirmed to The Weekender that efforts were being made to reconcile.
"I do not know much about the events leading to her death, but I can confirm that we were in the process of negotiating for reconciliation. She never told me about the pregnancy although at one point I was suspecting that she could be pregnant judging by some physical body transformations. I last slept with her in January 2013, but I really wanted to get her back and take care of our child together," he said.
The aunt, Gertrude Gapara, denied all the allegations and accused both Kamba, and the Chinaka family of lying.
She said she was denied the chance to attend Adelaide's burial because of the prevailing atmosphere at the funeral wake where she was being labelled a murderer.
"Thank you so much for seeking my side of the story. The truth about the whole issue is that there has always been bad blood between us and the Chinaka family hence the fabrications.
"First, it is not true that I assisted her (Adelaide) in aborting her pregnancy.
"In fact, I was shocked when I discovered it. I also called in neighbours to witness and help.
"It is sad that they now have the audacity to say all this yet they are the ones who chased her away from their home after she divorced with her husband.
"This happened irrespective of the fact I was the one who had been taking care of her using my own money though she was staying at the Chinakas' home.
"It is also not true that she bled for three days because it was on Thursday when it started and she passed away the following day. It is also not true that the so-called estranged husband – Kamba – last slept with her in January 2013.
"In fact, I last saw him on Monday when he had visited the deceased. I often come here and find him together with my daughter.
"Ndaitosvika kakawanda vakavharirana mumba, saka zvinondinetsa kuti nditi vange vasingarare vese sevanhu vaimbogara vese," she added.
"You see, this is why they barred me from attending the funeral because I wanted to give an account of the life of my young sister's children as it was. I was told by my uncle that the situation at the funeral was not conducive for me to attend because everyone was being made to believe that I am the villain," she said.
In a separate interview, Precious Musumba, the deceased sister's child, said the post-mortem confirmed that she succumbed to excessive bleeding after having tried to terminate a pregnancy using an unspecified concoction of herbal medicine as well as undisclosed tablets.
"We were told that she fell and collapsed while she was coming from fetching water in Garikai. Apparently, it was a result of excessive bleeding for three days that led to loss of energy.
"This was even confirmed by the doctors through the post-mortem results.
"We are not really aware of what she ingested to terminate the pregnancy, but it is understood to be an unspecified concoction of herbal medicine as well as undisclosed tablets.
"The sad thing is that her aunt, Getrude Gapara, is well known for assisting people abort and it is almost obvious that she is the one who was mentoring her," she alleged.
Source - manicapost
