Woman uses son as bait in bid to kill neighbour

A 27-YEAR-OLD woman yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates' Court charged with attempting to murder her neighbour after striking her on the head with a brick.

The suspect, Fransisca Mutasa (27) of Stoneridge, Waterfalls, Harare, is alleged to have devised a plan to lure Progress Jingura (34), who is the complainant in the matter, to come closer to her by pretending to hail insults at her son Praise Pedzisai.

The State alleges the incident in which Jingura survived death by a whisker, occurred on November 13 2012 at around 8am at Mutasa's house while the reasons for the alleged attack were not made clear in the court papers.

It is alleged on the day in question Jingura's son was near Mutasa's house when the latter, whose alleged violent behaviour is well known in the suburb, started shouting at him while wielding a brick, in an effort to attract his mother's attention.

Realising her son Pedzisai was in danger and in an effort to rescue him, Jingura allegedly approached Mutasa and tried to calm her down and at the same time ensuring her son was able to move away from the fuming woman.

The State alleges, at that juncture, Mutasa remarked that she had not intended to strike Jingura's son, but instead she had purportedly picked an altercation with him in order to attract his mother's attention, her being her target.

At that point in time Jingura is said to have tried to make peace with Mutasa and as she turned to walk away going back home, Mutasa allegedly struck her with a half brick on the back of her head felling her.

Jingura was rushed to hospital for treatment and the matter was reported to the police, leading to Mutasa's arrest.

The trial of the suspect, who appeared in court on summons, failed to materialise yesterday as the court was seized with other partly heard matters.

Bruce Mukwende appeared for the State.