Serenje Woman Jailed For Burning Daughter’s Hand

A 25-year-old woman of Serenje has been jailed for five years imprisonment for assaulting her eight-year-old daughter.
Mirriam Musonda of Zambia township wailed outside the Serenje Magistrate’s Court after the judgement was read out.
Musonda is on February 21, this year, alleged to have burnt her daughter’s hand on a brazier.
Before delivering judgement, magistrate Fidelis Ngosa described Musonda as a ‘heartless’ mother.
The juvenile testified that on February 20, she asked her mother for money to buy school books but she refused.
The girl told the court that this prompted her to enter her mother’s bedroom and get K5 to buy books.
The juvenile further told the court that when her mother discovered that the money was missing, she confronted her and she admitted to taking money.
The girl told the court that Musonda got very angry and grabbed her right hand onto a brazier.
“I shouted for help and I ran to my aunt’s (late father’s sister) house. My aunt and uncle then confronted my mother,” she said.
But Musonda pleaded not guilty to the offence.
Musonda told the court that her daughter fell on the brazier as she tried to escape to her aunt’s house.
A medical report from Serenje district hospital certified that the juvenile sustained 20 percent burns on her right hand.
In her mitigation, Musonda said she has a baby, adding that she looks after orphans.
“I have a baby and prison conditions are not good for a child. I‘m sorry for committing this offence,” Musonda said.
Mr Ngosa, however, told Musonda that her actions are inhuman.
“It is unthinkable that a mother can burn the hands of her daughter over a missing K5,” Mr Ngosa said.
Mr Ngosa said the court had a responsibility to protect children.

From CHAMBO NG’UNI in Serenje

Posted by Kunda on October 1, 2014. Filed under CRIME. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry