Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba – [email protected]
A Shurugwi artisanal miner allegedly fed his three-month-old stepdaughter acid leading to her painful death, leaving the community dumbfounded.
Tatenda Masunda (24) allegedly fled to Chegutu and the tot, Tatenda Junior Hwacha, died a few hours later.
Masunda appeared before Shurugwi resident magistrate, Ms Patricia Gwetsai, facing a murder charge on Sunday.
Masunda was not asked to plead and told to apply for bail at the High Court.
Prosecutor, Mrs Tafadzwa Guzete, told the court that Masunda was working at Nash 1 Mine in Shurugwi as an artisanal miner. The court heard that Masunda was staying with his wife Muchaneta Zindera and Hwacha.
Allegations are that on November 1, Masunda hatched a plan to kill his stepdaughter for yet-to-be-established reasons.
The man took acid used to purify Gold at Nash 01 Mine and put it in a 200ml plastic container and went home with it.
He hid the acid at the edge of the yard waiting for a conducive time to administer it to his daughter.
On November 3, Zindera woke up at around 3am to do laundry at a community borehole about two kilometres away from home.
Masunda told his wife to leave the baby, saying he would take care of her.
After Zindera left, Masunda allegedly retrieved the acid from where he had hidden it and gave the minor to drink.
The court heard that Hwacha immediately reacted and started crying. Masunda allegedly took the baby to the borehole and dumped her with Zindera.
He went back home and took all his belongings and fled to a hideout in Chegutu.
Zindera took the baby to Zvamabande Hospital after noticing her deteriorating condition.
Hwacha was referred to Shurugwi District Hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of Masunda in Chegutu.
Online Reporter