Rusape Woman Remanded Over Illegal Abortion

A 23-year-old woman from Bamba Business Centre, Rusape, has been remanded by the Rusape Magistrates’ Court over allegations of illegal abortion.

She was granted US$50 bail and is set to appear in court again on 6 October 2025.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the incident occurred on 19 September 2025.

An informant noticed the woman struggling to walk while carrying a bucket toward a toilet at Bamba Business Centre.

Later, blood stains were discovered around the pit of the Blair toilet, raising suspicions as the woman was reportedly pregnant.

When questioned by the informant about the blood, the woman initially denied any involvement, claiming she had slaughtered a chicken the previous night.

However, further inspection of the toilet pit revealed a fetus, prompting villagers to alert the authorities and report the matter to the police.

In Zimbabwe, abortion is legally permitted only under very limited and specific circumstances, as outlined in the Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1977.

One of the primary grounds is risk to the woman’s life or permanent physical health. This applies if continuing the pregnancy endangers the woman’s life or could result in permanent impairment to her physical health.

Abortion is also allowed in cases of fetal impairment, where there is a serious risk that the child would be born with severe physical or mental defects.

Another ground is pregnancy resulting from unlawful intercourse, which includes cases of rape or incest. However, terminations under this provision require a certificate issued by a magistrate.

The procedure must be performed by a registered medical practitioner and carried out in a designated medical institution, with written permission from the institution’s superintendent.