Parents discover teenage daughter’s pregnancy in court while suing boyfriend for elopement
DESPITE the unavailability of the Zesco’s power supply most of the time, guardians at the Lusaka Boma Court were yesterday left in shock after they discovered that their daughter, had previously run off with her boyfriend, was two months pregnant.
This was in a case, where the girl’s family sued Kebby Yongano aged 20 for elopement.
The story began four months ago when Kingsley Hakantu’s 16 year old niece, residing in Mumbwa travelled to Lusaka for a holiday at her mother’s younger sister’s home in Kanyama compound in August this year.
But while there, the teenager who is a grade eight pupil fell in love with her a Yongano within Kanyama Compound who happened to be her aunt’s neighbour.
The two started a relationship but it was cut short, as the girlfriend needed to go back to Mumbwa in September following the opening of schools.
But despite returning to Mumbwa, the young girl was ready to swap her yet to be attained grade nine certificate for love. She decided to call Yongano who had just found a job as a stay in general worker and was getting paid a K800 per month.
The teenager asked him for transport money so that she could run away from her parents home and join him in Lusaka to live with him at the house he was working at.
And being a young man in love, he gladly sent her a k100 for transport so the two could play some illegal adult games.
After days of worry and searching, the girl’s family later came to find out that she was actually living with her boyfriend in Lusaka.
After several months of attempted dialogue with families, the girls family finally decided to sue Yongano in an attempt to bring their daughter back to school.
The matter was heard before Magistrate Petronella Kalyelye and the love birds also came to court.
However, during the court session, when the Magistrate questioned the expectant teenage mother, she revealed that she was actually already two months pregnant.
“The problem is that the girl was not being truthful with me. I would always call her and she would say that she is just fine. It is only here in court that she has now revealed that she is pregnant. We want him to pay us for eloping with her,” the girl’s uncle said.
“Now where am I going to take her now that she is pregnant? How am I going to keep her?” the Aunt added.
However, in passing judgment, Magistrate Kalyelye charged Yongano with the total sum of K3,000 as compensation while tackling the questions raised by the girl’s guardians
“You cannot get this girl married at her age, it is an offence and the law can deal with you as her parents. The mistake has already been made, but two wrongs do not make a right.”
“The best you can do is to sue this man for damage and child maintenance once the child is born, after which, you take this girl back to school. Do you want to marry off your daughter to someone who is earning a K800 monthly?” Magistrate Kalwelwe questioned.
She further disclosed that the court had been lenient with charging Yongano with the elopement because the 20 year old will have more charges to pay the family throughout the pregnancy journey while only getting a meager income.
“So he shall pay the K3,000 in installments of K300 monthly, effective January 31, 2025.”
While leaving the court, Yongano was heard saying that he has no plans of marrying let alone continuing with the relationship with his pregnant girlfriend, after someone in the court asked him what his plans were with his teenage lover…https://kalemba.news/local/2024/12/24/parents-discover-teenage-daughters-pregnancy-in-court-while-suing-boyfriend-for-elopement/
By Buumba Mwitumwa
Kalemba December 24, 2024