A 13-YEAR-OLD defilement victim died five days after delivering a baby out of the alleged sexual abuse, it has been learnt. The child’s mother, Madren Chipulu, said in an interview that her daughter died after suffering postnatal blood pressure.

Ms Chipulu said while holding back tears at the Lusaka Magistrate’s Court where she went to hear the defilement case, that she is hopeful justice will prevail in the matter despite the death of the victim. “She gave birth on May 3, 2019. While in the hospital ward, her blood pressure shot up, the doctors said she was too young [to conceive],” Ms Chipulu said. She said the baby of her dead daughter who was a Grade 7 pupil at Bauleni Primary School, is twomonths-old and in a healthy condition. Ms Chipulu is hopeful that the case will be concluded despite the death of her daughter.

“My daughter had testified in this matter in April this year,” she said. Ms Chipulu is concerned that the case has dragged on for a long time and that her wish is to see it concluded soon so that justice can prevail. It is alleged that in October last year, 23-yearold unemployed Keyala Phiri of Bauleni township allegedly had carnal knowledge of the girl. When the matter came up before magistrate Kate Sakwanda, it was adjourned to August 22 this year for continuation of trial.

The case involving the minor is being heard at a time when defilement cases are rife in the country. Over 580 children were robbed of their innocence in the second quarter of this year after being defiled, according to a Zambia Police Service gender-based violence (GBV) report released last week. The report states that during the second quarter of this year, there were 6,139 GBV cases reported countrywide out of which 583 were defilement cases. Ten cases were against boys while 573 were against girls.

Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of defilement cases with 250, translating into 42.9 percent of all the adolescent defilement cases reported countrywide.