14-Year Old 'Wife' Dies At Marange Shrine Childbirth

Memory Machaya died at Marange Shrine — *Memory Machaya*

Child rapist still walking free after 14-year-old ‘wife’ dies during childbirth at Marange shrine

MUTARE (Manica Post) – The 14-year-old girl, who died recently giving birth at an apostolic sect church meeting in Marange, was forced out of school when she was in first grade to Mhondoro to save Evans Momberume, The Manica Post, revealed to be getting married.

Memory Machaya reportedly died around 9 a.m. on July 15 and had a secret funeral two hours later.

Memory, the last child in a family of six, had her first child.

She left behind a young boy who is said to be in her father’s care.

Attempts to contact Momberume were unsuccessful as no one had his contact details.

However, information provided to the Manica Post revealed that the polygamous Machayas planned to offer their nine-year-old daughter to her in-laws as a surrogate mother of Memory (chigadzamapfihwa).

Police were unable to confirm or deny the case, with National Police spokesman Deputy Commissioner Paul Nyathi saying they would receive such a report.

In a phone interview with The Manica Post yesterday (Thursday), Machaya’s spokeswoman, bittersweet Alice Mabika, confirmed her niece’s gruesome death.

Mrs Mabika is demanding justice, claiming that she and Memory’s mother – Mrs Shy Mabika – were banished from the church sanctuary after her daughter’s funeral.

The Mabika sisters said their daughter was denied medical attention when she needed it.

Ms Mabika said from information she received from Momberume’s sister that those who were looking after Memory on the fateful day said she had complained of a headache.

She said the “midwives” had diagnosed memory ulcers in her mouth and nose and rubbed her mouth with salt while pouring paraffin into her nose.

“We were told five ‘midwives’ attended to Memory, rubbing salt in her mouth while pouring paraffin into her nose. We were told she had had a seizure and was banged his head on the ground.

“She died shortly after giving birth to her baby boy and Church members buried her without our involvement,” Ms Mabika said.

After learning of Memory’s death, her mother, a member of the Church who had not attended the Church meeting in question, joined her relatives to attend her funeral, but her worst nightmare awaited her at the Marrange sanctuary.

The family were refused entry to the shrine and a fight ensued when they attempted to force entry after spending the night waiting to be admitted.

In an audio recording made available to The Manica Post, the Mabikas, led by their brother Patrick, can be heard complaining bitterly about the treatment they received from church security forces.

Ms Mabika said: “When we arrived at the shrine around 2 p.m., we were told to wait for the prayers to end at 6 p.m. The security team checked us around 7 p.m. but they escaped. Our pleas for him to be taken care of fell on deaf ears and we were forced to spend the night outside.

“We remained resolute in our search for our daughter’s body, but the security details did not back down. We even tried to enlist the services of our relative who is with the Chinhoyi Police Department.

“We called him and he tried to speak to church security, but they refused to speak to him on the phone,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

Ms Mabika said her sister – Memory’s mother – was equally bitter but couldn’t help it.

“She is devastated by Memory’s death and is bedridden at her home in Kwekwe as we speak. There is nothing she can do about it as she respects her husband’s wishes.

“People should not be slaves to these religious teachings. Our hearts bleed and we pray that one day justice will prevail,” she said.

Ms. Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda, African Union Goodwill Ambassador for Ending Child Marriage, commented: “We are all angry because this is not just one child, thousands of them are victims of sexual abuse in this country.

“Can the perpetrator of this crime be arrested so that he can be brought to justice? The accomplices are known – those who gave the child and those who brought him to the sanctuary are all guilty…”