Byo court frees father(27) of 9-year-old Tsholotsho girl

Bulawayo regional magistrate Mark Dzira, Monday freed the father of a 9-year-old Tsholotsho girl who attracted national outcry after she got pregnant and later gave birth.

The girl who hails from Masekesa Village under Chief Gampu was eight years when she fell pregnant.

She later gave birth to a baby girl via cesarean section at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where she was being attended to by specialists.

Her father was arrested as part of investigations after it became difficult to figure out who was responsible for impregnating the juvenile.

While police released him from custody after the DNA results exonerated him, he still had a case of rape pending at the courts.

The DNA results proved that the minor was raped and impregnated by her 13-year-old cousin.

The 27-year-old whose name is withheld to protect the juvenile could not control his tears after the ruling.

In his ruling, Dzira said the court has no reason to hold him as the recent DNA results from National University of Science and Technology (NUST) exonerated him.

“The state has decided to set you free since the DNA results from NUST have proven you innocent. The court hereby withdraws the charges laid against you,” he said.

It was the State’s case that the juvenile’s father in an attempt to conceal the crime would tell the complainant that there were some creatures (goblins) which entered through the window and slept with her.

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