adminNyore Madzianike Senior Court Reporter
A 23-year-old Harare woman is accused of deliberately infecting her friend’s 10 month-old son with HIV after breastfeeding the baby.
The minor had been left in the woman’s custody, while the mother was doing her daily errands.
The woman, whose name has been withheld for legal reasons, appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court recently charged with deliberate transmission of HIV.
She was not asked to plead to the charges when she initially appeared before magistrate, Mrs Sharon Rakafa on September 21. The accused was initially charged with ill-treatment of a minor under the Children’s Act.
State counsel, Mrs Locadia Rasonza, said sometime in August this year, the baby’s mother took him to her friend for custody while she was away.
The child started crying while playing with other children and the woman took him and started breastfeeding in full view of other children, the court heard.
Allegations are that the woman knew that she was HIV positive. Another child revealed the incident to the baby’s mother who reported the matter to the police.
The woman is on $500 bail and is expected back in court on October 19 for trial.
Online Reporter