The Senanga Magistrate court has placed a 14 year old girl on probation after she pleaded guilty to abortion.
The Juvenile who appeared in court yesterday was facing one count of abortion contrary to section 152 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence were that on February 28, 2013, the Juvenile in Senanga District, being a woman with child with intent to procure her own miscarriage willfully and unlawfully did administer to herself some poison.
In placing the girl under probation magistrate Munukayumbwa Muyambango observed that the girl deserved maximum lenience as she was remorseful and did not waste the court’s time by admitting the charge.
Magistrate Muyambango further ordered that the juvenile reports to the Department of Social Welfare every fortnight for counseling and guidance.
“I order that she is placed under the supervision and guidance of Social Welfare and this should be done every fortnight,” Muyumbango said.
The Magistrate also asked District Social Welfare Officer Victor Walubita to help the Juvenile offender get back to school as well as source school support for her.
Earlier in his social welfare report, Walubita submitted that the girl dropped out of school last year while in grade eight.
He asked the court to exercise clemency on the Juvenile as she was a first offender adding that she had learnt a lesson as she was in custody from 4th March this year when she was arrested.
“Your honour she realizes the seriousness of the offence and therefore does ask the court to be lenient with her. She is sorry for the offence and asks the court for forgiveness, furthermore the period she has been in custody has taught her a lesson,” he said.
And magistrate Muyumbango ordered the girl’s guardian Kakubu Katembo to ensure that the juvenile reports to goes back to school with the help of Social Welfare.
What about the guy who “banged” her is he not supposed to be jailed..she is under 16 remember GRZ Trophy
Women and girls should be encouraged
to reduce abortions. But the right to
abort is available to all women and girls.
But most of the time it is due to careless
Sexual behaviour by menfolk.
I sympathise, at that age I hadnt slept with anyone
#ForDualNationality
Thanks
ru sure? Ni ulule
wena u started hvng sex at 4
Mushota wenye yayi! You lost your virginity when you were 11, who doesn’t know?! Mutubepe!!!
Ridiculous.!!!
LT, I am surprised that you are not looking at the real issue here regarding having sexual relations with a minor (the girls is 14 years old) and yet the courts are penalizing the girl and not the man who made her pregnant in the first place. The judge is very wrong in this case by blaming the VICTIM as usual the man who made her pregnant goes Scott free! The abortion law in Zambia is liberalized (please look it up) as long as one uses the health institution to access services for an abortion…
Secondly, the juvenile law states that any one have sexual contact with a minor (under 16 years) is a punishable criminal, and yet Zambia men have a great thirst for have sexual contact with children under 16 years and are not punished for this…RN, MSc, Medicine and the law
Who comitted a crime, the under age girl or the male that had sex with the girl? At 14 her judgment to make good choices are immature, from having sex and having an abortion. Why Is she punished instead of the male that took advantage of her innocence? Why Is he not convicted?
Even though she is fourteen and under sixteen the law still regards her at her age as liable before the courts to answer for her crime whether you like it or not. If she did not inform the arresting authorities as to who was responsible for impregnanting her then it is not possible to arrest them. Our law requires that for a case of such a nature there must be a complainant, herself or in the case of infants her parents or gaurdians.
How much does the average 14yr old Know about sex and abortion? Being in a rural area do we/you know the real facts of the case? Is it true that the girl was really fourteen knowing that in rural areas its common for grade eight pupils to be much older? It is advisable not to be too emmotional when you deal with reported news of this nature. It is also possible the story was highlighted because of the very facts you are questioning. Read the penal code or the criminal procedure code on the minimum age for criminal liability.
THE MAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED WHEN THE GIRL WAS FOUND TO BE PREGNANT. THE ABORTION BLAME IS ON THE GIRL.
THE MAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED WHEN THE GIRL WAS FOUND TO BE PREGNANT. THE ABORTION BLAME IS ON THE GIRL.