Chronicle Editor
Sharon Buwerimwe, Court Reporter
A MAN from Bulawayo accused of poisoning himself and his three children to spite his wife who had left him for another man, denied poisoning his children.
Chelesani Sibanda (34) from Pumula suburb said he did not poison his children because he wanted to die alone.
Sibanda said he decided to commit suicide because he did not want to shoulder the burden of taking care of his children after his wife left him for another man in South Africa.
The court heard Sibanda allegedly tried to kill the children aged six, four and two by giving them a poisoned juice to drink.
He pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Gladmore Mushove who remanded him in custody to December 31 for continuation of trial.
Sibanda said: “I do not admit to the charge levelled against me, nganatha ngedwa umuthi, angibanikanga mina abantwana, bebezigulela nje. Abantwana bami ngiyabathanda njalo ngeke ngibabulale. (I didn’t give the children the poisoned juice, I’m the only one who took it).”
For the State, Mr Kenneth Shava said on September 23 this year, Sibanda gave poisoned juice to his three children with the intention of killing them.
Mr Shava said after drinking the juice, the children developed stomach aches and cramps and were admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital for two days.
One of Sibanda’s children said their father gave them food before giving them the juice to drink.
Sibanda’s relative, Mr Decent Ndlovu, said the accused sent him a message before he tried to commit suicide.
“Sibanda sent me a message saying I should bury him together with his children and I immediately contacted the police and an ambulance,” he said.
“I found them writhing in pain and I saw three packets of rat and cockroach poison beside the bed,” said Mr Ndlovu.
The matter was reported to the police leading to Sibanda’s arrest. — @sharonbuwe.
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