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Zimbabwe Centre For Equal Opportunities has urged the government to direct Parliament to investigate cases of child marriages and statutory rape happening in the Johanne Marange apostolic church.
The Civic society organization’s statement comes following calls to government by pressure groups to investigate the death of 14 year old Memory Machaya due to birth complications.
The President of Zimbabwe Centre For Equal Opportunities “ZCEO” a Civic Society Organisation Mr Paddington Japa Japa is urging the Government of Zimbabwe to Urgently Ask Parliament to investigate all cases of Statutory Rape and Teenage Girl Child Marriages, that are privately taking place, at the Occultic Marange Apostolic and other Shrines around Zimbabwe.
There are Serious Girl Child rights abuse cases that go unnoticed at many Occultic Apostolic Shrines around Zimbabwe, which the Government must institute urgent thorough investigations, and recommend correct remedial measures,”said the ZCEO President
Reports suggest that the deceased teenager who was forced to drop out of school when she was in form one, gave birth to a baby boy but bled through the mouth and nose, and immediately died.
The ZCEO also condemned child marriages and called for a commission of inquiry to be set up to thoroughly investigate and take serious remedial action against those who commit statutory rape and promote child marriage marriages in the name of religion.
“The fake Prophet who raped and married that minor including the other Sect members who are trying to defeat the course of justice must all be heavily punished.
Government can either ask Parliament to Investigate or either the President appointing a Commission of Inquiry composed of ZRP CID officers and Health experts to thoroughly investigate this and many other cases of similar nature,”added the ZCEO President.
The man who was allegedly married to the 14 year old minor has not faced the law for statutory rape and the minor’s family are reported to have offered their 9 year old as Memory’s replace by.
The Johanne Marange has been seen as immune to prosecution and untouchable.
Last month,the sect gathered in their thousands for their annual gathering in Bocha despite the government ban on gathering and intercity travelling in the tight Level 4 lockdown.
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