By CHARLES MUSONDA
A LUSAKA girl and her mother have been told that they will be tried by the High Court over a case of abortion.
In this case, the girl aged 17 and a Grade 11 pupil of Twin Palm Secondary School, is charged with her mother, Elizabeth Chinyama, 34, for abortion.
It is alleged that the girl aborted her pregnancy, which was between six and eight months after Chinyama gave her some noxious stuff to terminate the pregnancy.
It is also alleged that after the abortion, the accused persons, both of Kalingalinga compound, put the foetus in a small bucket but it died as the bucket had blood and water.
In the first count, particulars of the offence are that the girl, being with a child and with intent to procure her own miscarriage, unlawfully administered to herself a noxious stuff on December 31, 2020, contrary to Section 152 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
In the second count, particulars of the offence are that on the same date Chinyama procured for her daughter a noxious thing, knowing that it was intended to be unlawfully used to procure the miscarriage of a child.
The two yesterday appeared for mention before Lusaka Magistrate Nsunge Chanda who explained the charge to them, saying the offence they are facing is only tried by the High Court and that they will wait for instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions for committal to the High Court.
The girl’s grandmother Katoshi Chinyama, who stood for her as her guardian, told the court that Chinyama is her niece and a divorcee with three children.
Ms. Chinyama said the girl before court is the second child of the number two accused person.
Asked by Magistrate Chanda when she had her first child, Chinyama said she gave birth to her first child when she was between 13 and 14 years old.
Ms. Chanda then told Chinyama that if she started having children at an early age, she should not be surprised if her children start doing the same because they are just following her in her footsteps.
The case comes up on March 17, 2021 for another mention and possible committal to the High Court; and the accused persons’ police bond has been extended.
