Chronicle Editor
Peter Matika, [email protected]
A 46-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo’s Newton West suburb has been brought before the courts on charges of child neglect and abuse of his two children.
The man is being accused of failing to secure documentation for his children, ultimately preventing them from sitting for public examinations.
He appeared in court last Thursday and was remanded out of custody to October 24 this year.
His children are aged 15 and 19, with the 19 year-old being reported to have failed to sit for her O- level examinations because of lack of documentation.
According to the State’s case, which is yet to be heard, from the period extending from 2005 to date and at number 24 Euphobia Road, Newton West, the accused neglected to obtain birth certificates, ill-treated children, failed to pay school fees, denied them food and shelter thereby causing them unnecessary suffering, which is detrimental to their morals or part of their minds.
“Allegations are that the accused person failed to provide basic needs for the duo since birth to date and this included failure to acquire birth-certificates, failure to pay for their school fees and failure to provide them with food,” the court heard.
It was alleged that on numerous occasions, the accused would chase the children from home and tear their books whenever he found them there.
He would allegedly switch off the lights, throw away their food and force them to sleep outside the house.
“This usually happens when the two complainants ask the accused person when he would acquire them birth-certificates. As a result of the abuse, the two complainants sought refuge at their aunts in Nketa,” read a court document.
It went on to state that on October 7 the two complainants encountered the same predicament and finally reported the matter to the police, leading to their father’s arrest.
Online Reporter