News / National
Aunt burns nine-year-old niece’s private parts
15 Dec 2010 at 01:44hrs | Views
A NINE-year-old girl from Banket, Mashonaland West, has been admitted to
hospital after her aunt reportedly burnt her private parts with a log
as punishment for being intimate with her son while playing house.
The children, both aged nine, from Sutton Mine compound had been playing house last Wednesday when the girl's aunt summoned them to explain themselves.
The woman, Beauty Kaserera (34), is the boy's mother.
The girl, whose mother and elder sister to the accused is based in South Africa, ran away.
Kaserera allegedly whipped the boy.
The girl returned home at around 8pm whereupon Kaserera started assaulting her.
She picked a burning log and shoved it into the little girl's private parts.
Members of the ZRP neighbourhood watch committee arrested Kaserera.
She appeared before Chinhoyi Magistrate Mr Alex Shumba on Monday facing aggravated assault charges under the Child Protection and Adoption Act.
Kaserera was convicted on her own appeal.
Mr Shumba sentenced her to 10 months in prison.
Four months were however, suspended on condition that she does not commit an offence of a similar nature in the next five years.
The remainder was commuted to 210 hours of community service at Sutton Mine Clinic.
In passing sentence, Mr Shumba said Kaserera used severe force causing serious injuries to the girl which led to her being admitted in hospital.
"The act was brutal to the child who looked up to you for protection. The offence usually carries a custodial sentence, but you are lucky," he said.
Agreed facts are that Kaserera first whipped the girl before placing a burning log between her legs, causing serious injuries.
In mitigation, Kaserera said she only wanted to show the children that what they had done was wrong.
The children, both aged nine, from Sutton Mine compound had been playing house last Wednesday when the girl's aunt summoned them to explain themselves.
The woman, Beauty Kaserera (34), is the boy's mother.
The girl, whose mother and elder sister to the accused is based in South Africa, ran away.
Kaserera allegedly whipped the boy.
The girl returned home at around 8pm whereupon Kaserera started assaulting her.
She picked a burning log and shoved it into the little girl's private parts.
Members of the ZRP neighbourhood watch committee arrested Kaserera.
She appeared before Chinhoyi Magistrate Mr Alex Shumba on Monday facing aggravated assault charges under the Child Protection and Adoption Act.
Kaserera was convicted on her own appeal.
Mr Shumba sentenced her to 10 months in prison.
Four months were however, suspended on condition that she does not commit an offence of a similar nature in the next five years.
The remainder was commuted to 210 hours of community service at Sutton Mine Clinic.
In passing sentence, Mr Shumba said Kaserera used severe force causing serious injuries to the girl which led to her being admitted in hospital.
"The act was brutal to the child who looked up to you for protection. The offence usually carries a custodial sentence, but you are lucky," he said.
Agreed facts are that Kaserera first whipped the girl before placing a burning log between her legs, causing serious injuries.
In mitigation, Kaserera said she only wanted to show the children that what they had done was wrong.
Source - Byo24
