Juliet Murandambichi of Mutendadzamera Village under Chief
Mutema appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Mrs Elizabeth Hanzi on Monday.
She is facing charges of concealing the birth of a child as
defined in Section 106 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Murandambichi pleaded guilty to the charge and was
sentenced to three months imprisonment which were wholly suspended on condition
that she performs 720 hours of community service.
When asked why she committed the offence, Murandambichi
blamed her boyfriend and family for her actions.
“I am sorry for committing this offence. I was confused as
my boyfriend was denying the pregnancy. My family was also blaming me for
getting pregnant before marriage,” she said.
The court heard that on June 14, Murandambichi secretly
gave birth to a baby at the Mtisi homestead where she resides.
“After giving birth to a baby girl, Murandambichi wrapped
it in a blanket. She suffocated the baby with a plastic bag and buried the body
in a shallow grave in Nyazavhi Mountain,” said the Prosecutor, Mr Zondwayo.
The matter came to light on June 16 when a member of the
Neighbourhood Watch Committee, Ureta Danda, received a tip-off that
Murandambichi had killed her newly-born baby.
Danda interrogated Murandambichi and confessed that she had
indeed committed the crime.
Murandambichi led Danda and other members of the community
to the place where she had buried the infant.
“They discovered that the child’s body was tied with a tree
bark’s rope. The body had no injuries, but was in an advanced state of
decomposition,” said Mr Zondwayo. Manica Post
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