Simbarashe Mabuwana (38) and Fiona Mapuranga (28) were
initially sentenced to 15 months by Harare magistrate Tsitsi Chitatu, who
suspended threee months on condition of good behaviour.
Mabuwana and Mapuranga were found guilty of ill-treating
and neglecting the two children aged four and one, who were fathered by
Mabuwana in a previous marriage.
The couple had taken custody of the children from their
mother, Sikoliwe Masaiti, after she visited the pair to collect maintenance,
but was ordered to leave the children with her ex-partner’s new lover.
An informant later found the children in bad shape, locked
inside a room.
It was proved by the State that on December 31 last year,
Masaiti visited the couple with the intention of collecting maintenance from
Mabuwana after he had defaulted for four months.
They ordered her to leave the children and she obliged.
However, upon request to see the children sometime in
August, an informant discovered that the children were in bad shape and locked
in a room.
The two minors were interviewed and they revealed how they
used to go for long hours without food. They were sometimes beaten and were
always locked inside a room.
They also could not talk or walk properly.
A report was made at Waterfalls Police Station and the two
kids were taken to Sally Mugabe Hospital for medicals.
Kate Kamanda appeared for the State. H Metro
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