News / Local
Two minors flee physically abusive stepmother
29 Nov 2011 at 05:15hrs | Views
A Bulawayo woman was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for physically abusing her two minor stepchildren resulting in them fleeing from home.
Nomakhosazana Masuku (22) of 160 Harrisvale, was convicted on her own plea of guilty by Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Sibonginkosi Mkandla.
She had six months suspended for five years on condition she does not commit a similar offence within that period while the remaining 12 months were suspended on condition she completes 420 hours of community service at Hugh Beadle Primary School.
The two complainants aged 10 and 11 are pupils at Trenance Primary School.
The complainants endured the abuse for two years when they started staying with Masuku until they fled to their teachers' places of residence.
In defence, Masuku told the court she thought she was disciplining the two children and was surprised that she was being charged for abuse.
Medical reports showed that the two minor children were swollen on their backs, an indication that they were beaten with a blunt material.
The court heard that on 19 November, Masuku assaulted the girl with a cooking stick all over the body, accusing her of playing with her daughter's doll.
She sustained injuries on the face, back and head.
Later on Masuku showed the little girl a knife and threatened to kill her and the girl fled from home fearing for her life.
She went to stay with her teacher at his place of residence and confided in him that her stepmother was beating her with a hosepipe daily.
On another day, Masuku asked the girl's brother to switch off a DVD player. The boy reportedly pulled off the plug without first switching off the gadget, something which angered Masuku who then beat him with a cooking stick.
The court was told that because of the abuse he was going through the boy confided in a member of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee (NWC) who later visited the stepmother to talk to her about the abuse.
However, when the NWC member left, Masuku assaulted the boy accusing him of reporting her to the police.
It is then that the boy fled and went to stay with his teacher.
A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of Masuku.
Nomakhosazana Masuku (22) of 160 Harrisvale, was convicted on her own plea of guilty by Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Sibonginkosi Mkandla.
She had six months suspended for five years on condition she does not commit a similar offence within that period while the remaining 12 months were suspended on condition she completes 420 hours of community service at Hugh Beadle Primary School.
The two complainants aged 10 and 11 are pupils at Trenance Primary School.
The complainants endured the abuse for two years when they started staying with Masuku until they fled to their teachers' places of residence.
In defence, Masuku told the court she thought she was disciplining the two children and was surprised that she was being charged for abuse.
Medical reports showed that the two minor children were swollen on their backs, an indication that they were beaten with a blunt material.
She sustained injuries on the face, back and head.
Later on Masuku showed the little girl a knife and threatened to kill her and the girl fled from home fearing for her life.
She went to stay with her teacher at his place of residence and confided in him that her stepmother was beating her with a hosepipe daily.
On another day, Masuku asked the girl's brother to switch off a DVD player. The boy reportedly pulled off the plug without first switching off the gadget, something which angered Masuku who then beat him with a cooking stick.
The court was told that because of the abuse he was going through the boy confided in a member of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee (NWC) who later visited the stepmother to talk to her about the abuse.
However, when the NWC member left, Masuku assaulted the boy accusing him of reporting her to the police.
It is then that the boy fled and went to stay with his teacher.
A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of Masuku.
Source - TC
