News / Local
Two years jail for mum who killed baby to save marriage
19 Feb 2016 at 01:11hrs | Views
A WOMAN who killed a newborn baby that she had from an extra-marital affair to escape her husband's wrath, has been sentenced to two years in prison.
Blondie Moyo gave birth to a baby boy while she was alone at her homestead in Nopemano Village in Bulilima District.
She dumped the child in a Blair toilet and told her relatives that she had given birth to a stillborn baby.
Her aunt discovered the baby, who was still alive on the following day.
The baby died three days later while admitted to Plumtree District Hospital.
Plumtree magistrate Livard Philemon convicted Moyo on her own plea of guilty to infanticide.
He sentenced her to 24 months and suspended six for five years on condition that she does not within the period commit an offence of a similar nature.
Philemon said Moyo had committed a serious offence which deserved a custodial sentence.
Moyo who is a mother of three other children, told the court that she decided to kill her new baby as he was born out of the wedlock.
"I fell pregnant by another man and my husband told me point blank that he didn't want to see that child in his homestead. He had also told me on several occasions to abort the pregnancy.
"When I gave birth I knew that as long as I kept the baby, there wouldn't be peace in the house. That's why I decided to get rid of my baby in order to please my husband and escape his wrath," she said.
Moyo begged the court for leniency, saying she had three children and was looking after her 92-year-old grandmother.
She added that circumstances had compelled her to commit the offence.
Prosecuting, Jane Phiri said Moyo left for South Africa sometime in 2014 in search of greener pastures. She returned pregnant in July 2015 and continued to live with her husband.
"On November 2 last year around 5PM, she gave birth to a baby boy and dumped him in a Blair toilet. She then advised her aunt, Primrose Nleya, that she had a miscarriage which caused her to give birth to a still born baby. She added that she had dumped the dead body in a toilet pit.
"Moyo was taken to Tokwana Clinic where she was further referred to Plumtree District Hospital. On the following day Nleya proceeded to the Blair toilet to check on the dead body," said Phiri.
She said Nleya heard the baby crying from the Blair toilet pit.
The matter was reported at Madlambuzi Police Station.
Phiri said the baby was admitted to Plumtree District Hospital where he died on November 7.
Blondie Moyo gave birth to a baby boy while she was alone at her homestead in Nopemano Village in Bulilima District.
She dumped the child in a Blair toilet and told her relatives that she had given birth to a stillborn baby.
Her aunt discovered the baby, who was still alive on the following day.
The baby died three days later while admitted to Plumtree District Hospital.
Plumtree magistrate Livard Philemon convicted Moyo on her own plea of guilty to infanticide.
He sentenced her to 24 months and suspended six for five years on condition that she does not within the period commit an offence of a similar nature.
Philemon said Moyo had committed a serious offence which deserved a custodial sentence.
Moyo who is a mother of three other children, told the court that she decided to kill her new baby as he was born out of the wedlock.
"When I gave birth I knew that as long as I kept the baby, there wouldn't be peace in the house. That's why I decided to get rid of my baby in order to please my husband and escape his wrath," she said.
Moyo begged the court for leniency, saying she had three children and was looking after her 92-year-old grandmother.
She added that circumstances had compelled her to commit the offence.
Prosecuting, Jane Phiri said Moyo left for South Africa sometime in 2014 in search of greener pastures. She returned pregnant in July 2015 and continued to live with her husband.
"On November 2 last year around 5PM, she gave birth to a baby boy and dumped him in a Blair toilet. She then advised her aunt, Primrose Nleya, that she had a miscarriage which caused her to give birth to a still born baby. She added that she had dumped the dead body in a toilet pit.
"Moyo was taken to Tokwana Clinic where she was further referred to Plumtree District Hospital. On the following day Nleya proceeded to the Blair toilet to check on the dead body," said Phiri.
She said Nleya heard the baby crying from the Blair toilet pit.
The matter was reported at Madlambuzi Police Station.
Phiri said the baby was admitted to Plumtree District Hospital where he died on November 7.
Source - chronicle
