By DAVID KASHIKI
A 25-YEAR-OLD woman of Lusaka says a decision she took nine years ago not to report her abusive brother-in-law, a reverend, for raping her is haunting her.
According to Rose Chapa, in 2005 at the age of 16, her brother-in-law, David Myambo, who is a reverend at one of the Kasama-based United Church of Zambia congregations, allegedly raped her resulting in pregnancy, an issue she decided to keep to herself.
Rose says she did not disclose to her older sister that she had been raped because her brother-in-law threatened that her older sister was going to die of depression if she learnt of what had happened.
Because I cared for my sisters well-being, I did not say a thing not knowing that I was actually pregnant and it would haunt me for life, Rose said.
She says her family- after they learnt about the wanton abuse decided not to report the issue to the police because they feared that her brother-in-law was going to lose his job as a preacher.
She, however, said she has decided to disclose her story to the public in order to find closure and seek justice.
Rose says she regrets having cared for people who did not care for her.
I cared for my sisters health, and my brother-in-laws job: but they do not care about my well-being. I have suffered from this pain for a long time now and coming out in the open is my last resort to find a solution to this predicament, she says.
She says she has not been in good terms with her sister since the unfortunate ordeal.
She says her eight-year-old daughter, Esther, has not yet started going to school because they do not have a fixed abode and no-one has shown willingness to support her childs school needs.
She explained that she ended up staying with her sister in Kasama only because she had nowhere else to stay and did not plan for the rape at sixteen.
She further said her sister was away on a business trip when Muyambo first raped her.
She says her older sister came to know of her story when her other sister from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) paid them a visit in Kasama.
My elder sister came to know that I was pregnant for her husband the time my other sister from DRC visited us in Kasama. My sister from DRC bought me a suit so I was asked to try and fit in the suit, in their presence, she said.
It was at this point that both my sisters suspected that I was pregnant. But at this point I myself had no idea that I was expecting and when my visiting sister pressured me, I told her that my brother-in-law had slept with me, Rose said.
She said her family met to discuss whether or not to report the issue to the police, but they unanimously agreed that her brother-in-law supports the child as they feared he was going to lose his job as a reverend.
Unfortunately, Rose says her sister and brother-in-law have instead demonised her.
Rose says what hurts her most is that Muyambo, has not been supporting her eight-year-old child and yet this mans daughter is at the University of Zambia (UNZA) pursuing medicine, fully sponsored by the reverend.
Meanwhile, in a telephone interview, Rev Myambo refuted having raped Rose saying she consented to the act.
It would be wrong if she said that, because according to the law, that is not a proper thing: it was done in a proper way and in my home and I was ready to take care of her, only that my wife did not allow her to stay with us,” he said.
He, however, admitted that he has not been sending her enough money to cater for the child.
Mr Myambo said the child in question had enrolled in school in Mansa but because Rose was in a hurry to leave for Lusaka, she forced her daughter to quit school.
He shared that Rose was going to continue with her education if she had shown interest adding that he had arranged to sponsor her but she showed lack of seriousness.
And when contacted, Mrs Myambo (Roses sister)said when her young, sister fell pregnant, she accused another man of impregnating her and that she did not tell her the truth until a few days ago when Rose allegedly rang and insulted her.
“I came to know that my husband was responsible for Roses pregnancy just recently. She is supposed to come and apologise to me and stop claiming that we are enemies,” said the reverends wife.
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