ZIMBABWE – The ZRP is investigating a case where a family married off their 15-year-old daughter to a Chinese national, forcing her to drop out of school.
The girl is said to be from Ward 5, Chief Neuso in Sanyati district, Mashonaland West province.
Reports suggest that the victim (name withheld), was married off to the Chinese national and US$2 000 was paid to her parents as bride price on 26 November this year.
The Chinese national works as an engineer at Ringxin/Mambo Mine, the report further alleges.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident to NewsDay. He said:
As police, I can confirm that we have launched an investigation into the case. For now, we can’t comment any further despite the fact that we are still conducting investigations.
Police in Sanyati on Wednesday rescued the girl but her parents say the Chinese national is their son-in-law.
NewsDay reported sources as saying the Chinese nationals working at mines near Kadoma target young girls, mostly virgins, for marriage.
Poor families in the gold-rich area marry off their young daughters to Chinese men in an effort to make ends meet, one Tichaona Mapara observed.
The problem of child marriages is said to be rife in the three Mashonaland provinces.
