Cephas Shava
MWENEZI – A
34-year old Mwenezi woman from Gonyami Village under Chief Mawarire gave birth
to a dead premature child and buried its corpse in a cave.
34-year old Mwenezi woman from Gonyami Village under Chief Mawarire gave birth
to a dead premature child and buried its corpse in a cave.
This
was heard in the Mwenezi Magistrates’ Court during the trial of Ropafadzo
Matare who was charged with Contravening Section 106 of the Criminal Law
Codification and Reform Act Chapter 09:23 ‘Concealing birth of child’.
was heard in the Mwenezi Magistrates’ Court during the trial of Ropafadzo
Matare who was charged with Contravening Section 106 of the Criminal Law
Codification and Reform Act Chapter 09:23 ‘Concealing birth of child’.
Matare
pleaded guilty when she appeared before magistrate Honest Musiiwa last Wednesday
and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, two of which were conditionally
suspended. The remaining four months were set aside on condition she performed
140 hours of community service at Pambe Primary School.
pleaded guilty when she appeared before magistrate Honest Musiiwa last Wednesday
and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, two of which were conditionally
suspended. The remaining four months were set aside on condition she performed
140 hours of community service at Pambe Primary School.
Asked
by magistrate Musiiwa why she committed the offence, Matare pleaded poverty.
by magistrate Musiiwa why she committed the offence, Matare pleaded poverty.
“When
I gave birth to my child she was already dead. Given the state of poverty at
our homestead and upon weighing the costs of feeding mourners, I decided to
bury my child alone. At our homestead, we completely have nothing,” Matare
confessed in court.
I gave birth to my child she was already dead. Given the state of poverty at
our homestead and upon weighing the costs of feeding mourners, I decided to
bury my child alone. At our homestead, we completely have nothing,” Matare
confessed in court.
Presented
by prosecutor Willard Chasi, it was the State case that on November 14, 2019,
Matare gave birth to a dead child. She took the corpse and went to a nearby mountain
where she placed it inside a cave.
by prosecutor Willard Chasi, it was the State case that on November 14, 2019,
Matare gave birth to a dead child. She took the corpse and went to a nearby mountain
where she placed it inside a cave.
Upon
being quizzed by some suspicious relatives who had realised that she was no
longer pregnant, Matare opened up and a report was made to the police, leading
to her arrest.
being quizzed by some suspicious relatives who had realised that she was no
longer pregnant, Matare opened up and a report was made to the police, leading
to her arrest.
The
child’s remains were retrieved from the cave and taken to Masvingo General
Hospital for a post-mortem.
child’s remains were retrieved from the cave and taken to Masvingo General
Hospital for a post-mortem.
According
to State papers, the cause of the child’s death could not be ascertained as the
corpse was in an advanced state of decomposition.
to State papers, the cause of the child’s death could not be ascertained as the
corpse was in an advanced state of decomposition.
