adminMelody Baya Court Reporter
A 33-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo woman allegedly strangled her newborn baby during an unsupervised delivery.
Nontokozo Khumalo of Emganwini suburb appeared before Magistrate Abednico Ndebele yesterday facing a charge of infanticide.
She, however, denied committing the crime saying she had no intentions of killing the baby.
“I woke up during the night with some labour pains and I felt like urinating at the same time. As I was urinating I gave birth and I immediately called my boyfriend who later called the police after I had fainted. I never strangled my baby who I had carried for eight months,” she explained.
Khumalo, in a statement submitted to the police, insisted that the child was already dead on delivery.
She pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody to January 18 for trial.
Prosecuting, Maria John told the court on December 4, 2015 at around 1AM Khumalo gave birth to a female baby without supervision.
“After giving birth the accused person then strangled the baby causing its death. The baby was then taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals for post mortem,” said John.
“The post mortem report can be produced in court as evidence.”
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter