adminThandeka Moyo Court Reporter
A 16-year-old girl from Inyathi and her boyfriend allegedly fatally assaulted a toddler using a knobkerrie, a cooking stick and electric cables for soiling herself.
The girl who is the deceased’s aunt went on to make a false report to the police.She reported that the toddler who she claimed was not feeling well, collapsed and died as she was taking her to a clinic.
The post mortem conducted at Mpilo Central Hospital however proved the girl died as of result of a fractured femur and bronchoaspiration. This led the police to conduct investigations.
The girl and her boyfriend, Enias Nduna, 26 who lived in a Turk Mine compound appeared before Nkayi magistrate Ndumo Maseko facing murder charges and were remanded in custody to March, 10.
It is alleged that on New Year’s Day, the girl assaulted the toddler with a cooking stick on the back as punishment for soiling herself in bed but the little girl sustained no visible injuries.
On January 3, the 16-year-old again assaulted the toddler once on the legs and twice on the back with a cooking stick for soiling herself. The following day, the girl found the toddler limping and seated at the door and the toddler told her that Nduna had joined in assaulting her and this time was using a knobkerrie and an electric chord.
The girl then confronted Nduna who denied assaulting the toddler but the toddler showed the girl where Nduna had hidden the assault weapons.
The girl however did not bother to take the injured toddler to hospital.
Two days after the incident, at around 6pm the toddler died and the girl quickly strapped her on her back and rushed to ZRP Inyathi where she allegedly made a false report that the toddler had collapsed and died as she was taking her to clinic.
Visible injuries on the toddler however prompted the police to take the body for post mortem at Mpilo Central Hospital leading to the arrest of the two suspects.
The pair’s case has since been transferred to Bulawayo courts and the two will next appear in court on March 10.
Online Reporter