News / National
Woman kidnaps child to fool lover
04 Feb 2019 at 07:54hrs | Views
A 30-year-old Gweru woman kidnapped her neighbour's four-year-old son and took him to her boyfriend's rural home in Zvishavane to sustain a lie she had told the man that they had a child together.
Febby Chamunorwa of Mkoba 9 was convicted for kidnapping by Gweru magistrate Ms Mildred Matuvi and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Chamunorwa had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In mitigation, Chamunorwa, told the court that she had misled her boyfriend into believing that they have a baby and used the deceit to ask for money for the "child's" upkeep.
"I took the baby to my boyfriend's homestead in Zvishavane so that he could see him since he thought we had a child together. He had been sending money for his upkeep. It was not my intention to abduct the baby," said Chamunorwa.
Ms Matuvi suspended six month of the 18 month jail sentence on condition of good behaviour. It is the State case that on December 6 last year at around 7AM, Chamunorwa went to her neighbour- Suzanna Mhizha's house for a visit.
The court heard that Chamunorwa offered to go with Mhizha's child to an orphanage to get free clothes, saying that the orphanage was owned by her brother –in- law.
Mhizha, the court heard, agreed to let Chamunorwa go with her child but ordered her to bring the child back home before 11AM the same day. At around 12 midday the same day, Mhizha tried to contact Chamunorwa but her mobile phone was unavailable.
The court heard that Mhizha asked Chamunorwa's friend if she had any knowledge of her whereabouts and she was told that she had gone to Zvishavane with her child. Mhizha filed a police report. On December 7, Chamunorwa returned the child to Mhizha and was arrested.
Febby Chamunorwa of Mkoba 9 was convicted for kidnapping by Gweru magistrate Ms Mildred Matuvi and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Chamunorwa had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In mitigation, Chamunorwa, told the court that she had misled her boyfriend into believing that they have a baby and used the deceit to ask for money for the "child's" upkeep.
"I took the baby to my boyfriend's homestead in Zvishavane so that he could see him since he thought we had a child together. He had been sending money for his upkeep. It was not my intention to abduct the baby," said Chamunorwa.
The court heard that Chamunorwa offered to go with Mhizha's child to an orphanage to get free clothes, saying that the orphanage was owned by her brother –in- law.
Mhizha, the court heard, agreed to let Chamunorwa go with her child but ordered her to bring the child back home before 11AM the same day. At around 12 midday the same day, Mhizha tried to contact Chamunorwa but her mobile phone was unavailable.
The court heard that Mhizha asked Chamunorwa's friend if she had any knowledge of her whereabouts and she was told that she had gone to Zvishavane with her child. Mhizha filed a police report. On December 7, Chamunorwa returned the child to Mhizha and was arrested.
Source - chronicle
