The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has said they are pressing criminal charges against the parents of Anna Machaya, a 15-year-old girl who died at the Johane Marange shrine while giving birth.
Edmore Machaya(father) and Shy Mabika(mother) are yet to be apprehended after the police arrested Hatirarame Momberume(26) alias Evans Momberume who is accused of bedding and impregnated the deceased minor.
However, new charges are being levelled against the parents for trying to pledge their nine (9) year old daughter as compensation to Momberume following the death of Anna.
“The parents of the late Machaya will face charges of pledging a minor after trying to hand over another minor (9) to the accused.
“Investigations are in progress with a view of unravelling all the facts in this case,” the police said.
The parents of the deceased minor are also being alleged to have lied to the police that Machaya(minor) was born on 2 January 1999 and they provided national identity cards to prove the falsehoods while in actual fact she was born in 2006.
The police however discovered that the ID the parents produced was of her(the late minor) namesake who is a daughter to Ernest Machaya, who is an uncle to the late Anna Machaya.
“It is through school records in Mhondoro that it was proved that the late Anna Machaya was born on 5 July 2006,” said the police in a statement.
Momberume failed to appear before Mutare court on Thursday and the court proceedings which were supposed to kick start were however scheduled for Friday 19 for conduction of DNA tests.
Regional prosecutor Tirivanhu Mutsayira said the court will proceed tomorrow.
According to the police, Momberume will be facing charges of rape or alternative contravening section 70 of the code.
