Woman buries newly born baby alive

Sukulwenkosi Dube
A 30-YEAR-OLD Bulilima woman allegedly buried her newly born baby alive at a family graveyard shortly after giving birth.
Notice Moyo is suspected to have secretly given birth when she was eight months pregnant while at her homestead in Madlambuzi area.
Thereafter, she dug a hole in a cemetery which is located a few metres from her homestead and buried her live baby boy.
Her aunt Thembekile Moyo, who stays in the same neighbourhood, said she became suspicious when she saw blood-soaked clothes at her niece’s house.

“I went to check on my niece since I knew that she was almost due two days after she committed this horrible act and I discovered that she was no longer pregnant.

“I questioned her on the whereabouts of the baby and she told me that she had a miscarriage and lost the baby. She explained to me that she got into labour and rushed to the clinic but she lost the baby and then she was discharged,” said Thembekile.

She said Moyo was not in good books with her family and she used that as an excuse for not informing other family members of her misfortune.

“However, I became suspicious after seeing blood- stained cloths stashed in her wardrobe. I decided to inquire from the clinic and they denied having attended to my niece.

“I called family elders and we questioned my niece until she told us what had transpired. However, she denied having buried the child while alive. She said she gave birth to a stillborn child and went on to bury the body out of fright. Thembekile said she was not in good terms with her relatives as they accused her of witchcraft,” she said.

Prosecuting, Ms Jane Phiri said Moyo finally confessed to having buried the baby in the graveyard and took her relatives to the scene.
“On 23 May Moyo gave birth to a live baby while alone and buried it in a family graveyard. Her aunt, who lives in the same area, became suspicious and questioned her about the whereabouts of the baby until she admitted to burying the baby.

“The baby’s body was retrieved from the graveyard leading to Moyo’s arrest.”
She appeared before Plumtree magistrate, Mr Gideon Ruvetsa last Friday facing charges of concealment of birth and was remanded in custody to 11 August.