Senanga Magistrate places girl 14 on probation for abortion
Senenga, JUNE 26, ZANIS…The Senanga Magistrate court has placed a 14 year old girl on probation after she pleaded guilty to abortion.
The Juvenile who appeared in court yesterday was facing one count of abortion contrary to section 152 of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence were that on February 28, 2013, the Juvenile in Senanga District, being a woman with child with intent to procure her own miscarriage willfully and unlawfully did administer to herself some poison.
In placing the girl under probation magistrate Munukayumbwa Muyambango observed that the girl deserved maximum lenience as she was remorseful and did not waste the court’s time by admitting the charge.
Magistrate Muyambango further ordered that the juvenile reports to the Department of Social Welfare every fortnight for counseling and guidance.
“I order that she is placed under the supervision and guidance of Social Welfare and this should be done every fortnight,” Muyumbango said.
The Magistrate also asked District Social Welfare Officer Victor Walubita to help the Juvenile offender get back to school as well as source school support for her.
Earlier in his social welfare report, Walubita submitted that the girl dropped out of school last year while in grade eight.
He asked the court to exercise clemency on the Juvenile as she was a first offender adding that she had learnt a lesson as she was in custody from 4th March this year when she was arrested.
“Your honour she realizes the seriousness of the offence and therefore does ask the court to be lenient with her. She is sorry for the offence and asks the court for forgiveness, furthermore the period she has been in custody has taught her a lesson,” he said.
And magistrate Muyumbango ordered the girl’s guardian Kakubu Katembo to ensure that the juvenile reports to goes back to school with the help of Social Welfare.