Teenagers should be encourage to use contraceptives

The Mafeteng police have encouraged young girls to use contraceptives so that they are able to prevent
unwanted pregnancies which invariably result in criminal offences such as abortion and concealment of childbirth.

Sergeant Mohlalefi Ts'itsa of the Mafeteng police said this when interviewed by LENA following the case in which a 20 year-old girl of Kopanong in the district had been arrested for allegedly concealing 
childbirth.

The suspect was arrested on January 17 after she gave birth to a child and then dumped it in a pit latrine at  Motse Mocha Ha Matsepe in the district where she is currently staying. The girl would appear before the Mafeteng Magistrate Court as soon as she has been released from the Mafeteng Government Hospital where she was admitted for treatment after the arrest.

Sergeant Ts'itsa appealed to the public especially the youth to abstain from sex or use contraceptives to avoid incidents of this nature.

Ends
LENA/LU


13 January 2004