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Nyore Madzianike Senior Court Reporter
A one-year-six-months old child was burnt to death after her mother left her sleeping in a candle-lit house, to attend a party in the neighbourhood, a court heard.
Emily Ndaradzi (21) of Highfield, Harare told the court that she never thought that the candle would burn her property and the child, as she was partying.
Ndaradzi said this yesterday when she appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with culpable homicide.
She was not asked to plead to the charges when she appeared before magistrate Mrs Tafadzwa Miti.
Asked by magistrate Mrs Miti, during her bail hearing, what was in her mind when she left the child asleep alone without anyone attending to her, Ndaradzi said: “I left the child sleeping while I went to attend a party. The candle was small and never thought it would burn the property that saw the child being burnt,” she said.
The State led by Mr Anesu Chirenje had suggested free bail for Ndaradzi since she was in bereavement.
“We propose free bail for the accused. The State is alive to the fact that the matter is triable, but considering the loss the accused suffered as a result of her negligence, we propose free bail.
“State also considered that she is in bereavement,” he said.
Mrs Miti ordered Ndaradzi to pay $3 000 bail and return to court on January 31 next year. Allegations are that on the wee hours of December 18, Ndaradzi lit a candle and left her one year-six months old daughter fast asleep in her room while she attended a party.
It is said that the candle burnt property in the room before neighbours came to rescue her.
The court heard that the burnt child was rushed to hospital where she later died.
Meanwhile, another woman appeared before the same court on attempted murder charges after she allegedly sprinkled thinners on another woman, locked her in the house and set her on fire.
Tariro Mukusha was not asked to plead to the charges and was remanded to January 31.
It is alleged that on December 20 at around 5am, Mukusha was at her place of residence in Belapazi, Epworth, when she dragged Annamore Tuwaya into her room.
The court heard that Mukusha sprinkled some thinners on Tuwaya’s body and on the floor before setting the room on fire.
Tuwaya was rescued by neighbours, who rushed her to Sally Mugabe Hospital for treatment.
Online Reporter