adminAndile Tshuma Court Reporter
A 32-YEAR-OLD woman from Entumbane suburb in Bulawayo who allegedly assaulted her neighbour’s 10-year-old daughter has been consigned to a psychiatric institution for 15 months by a Bulawayo magistrate.
Gracious Machingura pleaded not guilty to an assault charge when she appeared before Western Commonage Magistrate Mr Abednico Ndebele.
A psychiatrist recommended that she be admitted to a mental institution for 15 months.
Machingura was smiling throughout the court session and could not hide her joy as Magistrate Ndebele told her that she was not going back to remand prison but would be admitted to Ingutsheni Central Hospital.
“You will be admitted for 15 months at a psychiatric institution. They will assess your mental health. You will not be going back to prison now,” said Magistrate Ndebele.
Prosecuting, Mrs Charity Nyathi said Machingura hit her neighbour’s daughter with a stone, assaulted her with fists on the head before hitting her against a wall.
This was after the girl accidentally bumped into Machingura’s son while they were playing.
“Medical report attained proved that complainant sustained severe injuries. There was internal bleeding that can cause constant headaches,” said Mrs Nyathi.
Machingura told the court that she did not assault her neighbour’s daughter but she tripped as she tried to flee from her.
“Your Worship I never laid a hand on that child. My neighbour’s daughter tripped my son with her foot causing her to fall. My son cried then I drew closer but she fled. As she was running she fell and hit against a durawall. That’s how she sustained those injuries,” said Machingura.
“We haven’t been living peacefully with my neighbours. I suspect they told their children to beat my children. This feud has been going on for the past five years. My husband and I divorced because of them.”
Machingura said her neighbours used to shout from their houses urging her husband to beat her up and leave her.
“They were jealous of my marriage. They caused my husband to beat me until he left. They said I was unworthy to be a civil servant’s wife because I was unemployed. Now I live alone because of them,” she said.-@andile-tshuma
Online Reporter