Woman beats up, burns daughter (6)

A BULAWAYO woman reportedly assaulted her six-year-old daughter with an electric cable before burning her mouth with molten plastic for stealing a piece of meat.

Sibongile Sibanda appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Maphios Moyo charged with physical abuse and was remanded out of custody to today.

Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza said Sibanda assaulted the defenceless child all over her body with an electric cable after she stole a piece of meat on May 9.

"The accused beat up her six-year-old daughter mercilessly all over the body using a wire cable and burnt her mouth with a plastic which had fire after she had stolen meat," he said.

In response, Sibanda told the court that she was carried away by emotions and that she did not mean to hurt her daughter.

"I don't know what came over me but I didn't mean to cause harm to my child. She stole and I couldn't control myself. I thought I was disciplining her," she said.

The matter came to light when concerned neighbours noticed her beating the child and reported the matter to the police.

"I have another child who's still breastfeeding. Please have mercy on me, I won't repeat the same mistake I made," she said in mitigation.