News / National
Maid kidnaps employer's toddler
08 Mar 2011 at 23:55hrs | Views
One of Zimbabwe's longest kidnapping cases finally came to an end last weekend when a maid Anna Billiat (18) who snatched her employer's toddler demanded a ransom. She had held the child for 128 days until the child's mother Ms Tapiwa Muchiriwesi got through on the phone.
On November 7 at around 7am, a week after the maid had been hired to work at the Muchiriwesi residence in Chisipite, Ms Muchiriwesi left her son in the care of the maid while she went to work. She returned at midday and found the two had gone.
An acquaintance of Ms Muchiriwesi had brought Billiat round and claimed she was her sister. But when Muchiriwesi confronted her later the acquaintance denied all knowledge of the teenager and revealed that they had met in the street.
Ms Muchiriwesi phoned constantly but the phone was never answered and police could not get a lead on Billiat until last Friday. A friend of Billiat answered the phone and lied that the ex-maid was in Botswana but said the toddler was safe and Billiat was interested in returning him.
Billiat phoned on Saturday and told Ms Muchiriwesi to bring clothes and US$150. The call was traced to Mvurwi and the police quickly drove down, arrested Billiat and rescued the child.
Harare magistrate Mr Clever Tsikwa, who heard the case, sentenced Billiat to 48 months of which 20 were suspended on condition she does not commit a similar offence within five years.
In passing the sentence, Mr Tsikwa considered that Billiat deprived the boy of freedom and both the mother and the child were traumatised by their four-month separation. Even though there are no allegations Billiat mistreated the child, Mr Tsikwa noted that kidnapping remained a serious offence.
"I considered leniency in passing the sentence but it must not be taken too far for the sake of justice," said Mr Tsikwa.
Prosecutor Ms Tapiwa Joyce Fusire wanted a far stiffer penalty saying Billiat's moral blameworthiness was very high.
"She deprived the minor from his mother's affection, support and he was removed from the environment he was used to and in the process the boy was plunged into an identity crisis.
"When parents leave their children with maids they intend to leave them in safe hands and expect to see them in good health when they return home. If it was not her intention (to keep the child forever) she could have called the complainant demanding a ransom," Ms Fusire said.
Ms Muchiriwesi said, "I almost gave up hope. I thought the boy was dead. But something kept telling me to keep phoning the maid's number, and at last I got through.'
"When she returned my call I was very happy. Initially I wanted to go alone and pay the ransom, but then decided to tell the police."
On November 7 at around 7am, a week after the maid had been hired to work at the Muchiriwesi residence in Chisipite, Ms Muchiriwesi left her son in the care of the maid while she went to work. She returned at midday and found the two had gone.
An acquaintance of Ms Muchiriwesi had brought Billiat round and claimed she was her sister. But when Muchiriwesi confronted her later the acquaintance denied all knowledge of the teenager and revealed that they had met in the street.
Ms Muchiriwesi phoned constantly but the phone was never answered and police could not get a lead on Billiat until last Friday. A friend of Billiat answered the phone and lied that the ex-maid was in Botswana but said the toddler was safe and Billiat was interested in returning him.
Billiat phoned on Saturday and told Ms Muchiriwesi to bring clothes and US$150. The call was traced to Mvurwi and the police quickly drove down, arrested Billiat and rescued the child.
Harare magistrate Mr Clever Tsikwa, who heard the case, sentenced Billiat to 48 months of which 20 were suspended on condition she does not commit a similar offence within five years.
In passing the sentence, Mr Tsikwa considered that Billiat deprived the boy of freedom and both the mother and the child were traumatised by their four-month separation. Even though there are no allegations Billiat mistreated the child, Mr Tsikwa noted that kidnapping remained a serious offence.
"I considered leniency in passing the sentence but it must not be taken too far for the sake of justice," said Mr Tsikwa.
Prosecutor Ms Tapiwa Joyce Fusire wanted a far stiffer penalty saying Billiat's moral blameworthiness was very high.
"She deprived the minor from his mother's affection, support and he was removed from the environment he was used to and in the process the boy was plunged into an identity crisis.
"When parents leave their children with maids they intend to leave them in safe hands and expect to see them in good health when they return home. If it was not her intention (to keep the child forever) she could have called the complainant demanding a ransom," Ms Fusire said.
Ms Muchiriwesi said, "I almost gave up hope. I thought the boy was dead. But something kept telling me to keep phoning the maid's number, and at last I got through.'
"When she returned my call I was very happy. Initially I wanted to go alone and pay the ransom, but then decided to tell the police."
Source - Byo24NEWS
