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Takudzwa Chiwereweshe Mutare Correspondent
A 16-year-old mother has dragged her 33-year-old lover to the civil court over the maintenance of their child. The courts were baffled when the girl, who was wearing school uniform, appeared before magistrate Ms Nyasha Guture demanding that Cloud Magozera owns up to his duties as the father of her child.

“He is a tobacco farmer your worship and at times he cultivates for other farmers for a fee. He used to cultivate for $70 per hectare and during the day he could cultivate three hectares,” she said.

Outside the court, the girl could be seen trying to console her crying baby. She indicated that she started having sex with the accused when she was only 15-years-old and she had quit school while she was in Form Two because of her pregnancy.

“I am currently not in school but l want to go back to Form Two as soon as l can,” she said.

Magozera indicated that he is married with three children and could not afford to pay $100 demanded by the girl. He offered to pay $30, saying that he was a caretaker at Maradzikwa Farm where he earned between $40 and $60 per month. In passing her judgment, Ms Guture accused the respondent of taking advantage of young girls.

“It is not fair for adults like you to be having sexual intercourse with children; such behaviour sends the wrong message to your own children,” she said.

She pointed out that the man’s oldest child was only four years younger than the one he had been having sexual intercourse with and resultantly impregnated. She cautioned the accused saying his conduct towards the minor warrants incarceration as it constitutes statutory rape, which is prosecutable by law.

After deliberations, the complainant was granted $30 as maintenance with effect from 28 February. In addition, the magistrate also advised the complainant to look for evidence of his income and bring it back to court for an upward variation.