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Gibson Mhaka
A DOG’S gruesome discovery sparked horror when it was spotted running with what appeared to be a human hand between its jaws. This led to the unearthing of a horrifying sight — a shallow grave covered with twigs and crammed with human remains.
The remains were those of a child, born to a woman who delivered alone before burying the baby in a shallow grave in nearby bushes behind her homestead. Christine Nyoni (34) from Mayobodo area under Chief Hobodo of Mangwe in Matabeleland South Province killed her new-born baby to conceal an extramarital affair she was having.
She engaged in extramarital relations while her husband was away in South Africa, resulting in the pregnancy. For the gruesome offence, she appeared before Plumtree resident magistrate Joshua Nembaware charged with the crime of concealing the birth of a child as defined in Section 106 (2) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23. She pleaded guilty and the magistrate expressed a strong emotional response regarding her grisly behaviour.
“The court finds your behaviour deeply disturbing and cruel,” charged the magistrate.
Nyoni then pleaded for leniency from the court, claiming she killed the baby to save her marriage since the child had been sired by another man.
“The child belongs to another man. My husband works in South Africa, and I was afraid of his reaction if he found out I had been with someone else while he was gone. I also didn’t want my in-laws to know I was pregnant by another man,” she said.
She was then sentenced to six months imprisonment of which three months were suspended for a period of five years on condition the accused does not within that period commit a similar offence.
The remaining three months’ imprisonment were further suspended on condition she completes 105 hours of community service at Makorokoro Primary School. The court heard from the prosecutor Selestine Madziwa that sometime in April, Nyoni gave birth. She then dug a hole in a nearby bush, approximately 25 metres from her homestead and buried the child in it.
It is reported that on 2 May, her mother-in-law was in the company of a neighbour when they saw a blood-stained blanket belonging to her and an old dish covering a small hole with tree branches around it.
The two also noticed dog footprints around the scene. Following the tracks, they witnessed a dog carrying what appeared to be a human hand in its mouth. Suspicion overcame them, and they reported the matter to the police. Responding police officers arrived and excavated the shallow grave, recovering the child’s remains and investigations led to Nyoni’s arrest.
Online Reporter