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Sharon Buwerimwe, Court Reporter
A 17-YEAR-OLD juvenile has been sentenced to a wholly suspended 20 months in prison after she burnt her two nieces’ lips with a mosquito coil for stealing amaputi and money.
The girl from Mpopoma suburb burnt her two nieces aged seven and nine years after she accused them of stealing her amaputi and money.
The amount of money stolen was not stated in court.
The juvenile pleaded guilty to two counts of physical abuse before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu.
The magistrate sentenced her to 20 months in prison and suspended eight months on condition that she does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
Mr Ndlovu further suspended 12 months on condition that the accused person performs 410 hours of community service at Njube Police Station.
The juvenile said: “I admit to the charges levelled against me, I was trying to discipline them since they were both laughing when I asked them about my missing things.”
For the State, Mr Stewart Madzore said on October 14 this year, the accused person lit a mosquito coil and burnt her nieces.
“The two complainants were sleeping when the accused person woke them up accusing them of stealing money and amaputi.
“The accused person lit a mosquito coil which she used to burn the two complainants,” he said.
Mr Madzore said the complainants were rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital after they sustained blisters on their lips. One of the complainants testified in court that the accused person was in the habit of abusing them.
“When our aunt burnt us with coil, she ordered us to go back to sleep and not to tell anyone.
“She said when people ask us about the blisters, we should tell them that we fell from a tree.”
The following day neighbours asked the minors what had happened and one of them opened up and the matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused. — @sharonbuwe
Online Reporter