News / Regional
Woman aborts after learning boyfriend was uncle
27 Nov 2013 at 02:31hrs | Views
A GWANDA woman terminated her pregnancy after learning that the baby's father-to-be was her maternal uncle, a court heard.
Miss Chelesile Moyo (21), of Hlalani Kuhle Township in Gwanda, told magistrate Ms Sheila Nazombe on Monday that she aborted her five-month pregnancy after discovering her boyfriend, Mr Douglas Nyathi, was in fact her uncle.
"As a result, I became so confused and decided to terminate the pregnancy by drinking a concoction made from umhlafutho tree leaves," Moyo said in mitigation.
"I didn't understand what I was doing because no-one would listen to my problem," she added with a quivering voice.
Magistrate Nazombe found Miss Moyo guilty of unlawfully terminating a pregnancy and sentenced her to 12 months in prison, but suspended four months conditionally.
The remaining eight months were suspended on condition she performs 280 hours of community service at the Gwanda Magistrates' Court starting next Monday. She must complete the community service within eight weeks.
The magistrate told Miss Moyo: "This man was not supposed to cause you any confusion at all. You were simply supposed to leave him.
"Next time you decide to fall pregnant, make sure it's with the right person. Don't be quick to fall pregnant."
For the state, Mr Jefta Nyikadzinashe said on 3 November at about 3pm, Moyo hatched a plan to terminate her pregnancy after experiencing problems with Mr Nyathi, who was refusing to take responsibility.
She went to a nearby bush and took some umhlafutho leaves which she boiled before drinking a cup-full of the concoction which led to the discharge of the foetus at about 8pm.
The court heard that Miss Moyo placed the foetus in a 10 litre bucket and emptied it at a pit about 200 meters from her house.
Mr Nyathi shopped her to the police after noticing that she was no longer pregnant.
Miss Moyo, a mother of one, told the court that a jail spell would see her two-year-old daughter being "taken to her father's home where she would be under the care of a step-mother."
"She would not be in good hands," she said.
Miss Chelesile Moyo (21), of Hlalani Kuhle Township in Gwanda, told magistrate Ms Sheila Nazombe on Monday that she aborted her five-month pregnancy after discovering her boyfriend, Mr Douglas Nyathi, was in fact her uncle.
"As a result, I became so confused and decided to terminate the pregnancy by drinking a concoction made from umhlafutho tree leaves," Moyo said in mitigation.
"I didn't understand what I was doing because no-one would listen to my problem," she added with a quivering voice.
Magistrate Nazombe found Miss Moyo guilty of unlawfully terminating a pregnancy and sentenced her to 12 months in prison, but suspended four months conditionally.
The remaining eight months were suspended on condition she performs 280 hours of community service at the Gwanda Magistrates' Court starting next Monday. She must complete the community service within eight weeks.
The magistrate told Miss Moyo: "This man was not supposed to cause you any confusion at all. You were simply supposed to leave him.
For the state, Mr Jefta Nyikadzinashe said on 3 November at about 3pm, Moyo hatched a plan to terminate her pregnancy after experiencing problems with Mr Nyathi, who was refusing to take responsibility.
She went to a nearby bush and took some umhlafutho leaves which she boiled before drinking a cup-full of the concoction which led to the discharge of the foetus at about 8pm.
The court heard that Miss Moyo placed the foetus in a 10 litre bucket and emptied it at a pit about 200 meters from her house.
Mr Nyathi shopped her to the police after noticing that she was no longer pregnant.
Miss Moyo, a mother of one, told the court that a jail spell would see her two-year-old daughter being "taken to her father's home where she would be under the care of a step-mother."
"She would not be in good hands," she said.
Source - chronicle
