Mother dumps baby at church

While other troubled women dump their babies in the bush, toilets or hospitals a Bulawayo woman thought it was the best for her to dump her 16 month-old child at church.

Faith Chakuvinga (26) dumped her 16-month-old son Sibusiso Musariri at Apostolic Faith Misson of Africa International (KoSengwayo) in Pelandaba the same suburb she resides at.

Chakuvinga dumped her son during the evening and he was discovered the following morning by Danisa Tshuma who was passing by and heard the baby crying.

She pleaded guilty when she appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Stephen Ndhlovu on Tuesday facing a single charge of exposing an infant to harm.

The magistrate had the gallery in stitches when he asked her on why a young woman would dump her baby.

In her defence Chakuvinga apologised saying she had a lot of problems instead of killing her son she thought of dumping him.

"I have a lot of problems and I have no means of taking care of such a young child, so I thought it would be better if I dumped as it would give him a chance to find a suitable family who would take care of him," she said tearfully.

She was convicted on her own plea of guilty and sentenced to 14 months in prison.

The magistrate suspended four months on condition that Chakuvinga does not commit a similar offence in the next five years and the remaining 10 months were commuted to 350 hours of community service.

Prosecuting Kenneth Shava told the court that on March 27 in the evening Chakuvinga wrapped her son in a baby towel.

"The accused went to a footpath which is behind Apostolic Faith Misson of Africa International in Pelandaba and dumped the baby," said Shava.

The court also heard that police investigations led to Chakuvinga's arrest.