News / National
Woman strangles sister's baby over food
12 Sep 2011 at 08:37hrs | Views
A MENTALLY challenged woman from Mphoengs area of Mangwe district strangled to death her elder sister's two-month-old baby girl following a misunderstanding over food.
On 27 September 2008, Luzile Ncube, her elder sister and her daughter were left alone at home by their mother who was attending a traditional ceremony in the neighbourhood.
At around 4.30 pm, Luzile instructed her elder sister Agnes, to source food from neighbours but Agnes refused and Luzile attacked her with fists all over the and Agnes fled from the homestead leaving behind her baby sleeping on the floor in one of the huts.
She returned home after hearing her baby crying and when she got to the doorway, she saw Luzile strangling the baby with her hands. The mother came back at about 8 pm and they did not inform her about what had happened and they slept in the same hut. The mother discovered that the baby had died at around 8 am when Luzile was trying to hand over the baby to Agnes but she refused.
The matter was reported to the police leading to Luzile's arrest. Luzile (27), of Bambanani Village yesterday pleaded not guilty to murder although she said she understood the charge. In her defence presented by her pro deo lawyer, Mr Solomon Mguni, of Hwalima, Moyo and Associates, Luzile stated that she was born with a mental disorder or disability (intellectually handicapped) and that she was mentally disabled at the time of committing the offence.
Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Lawrence Kamocha sitting with Mr Stanley Hadebe and Mr Patrick Hikwa as assessors found her not guilty of murder due to insanity ,and returned a special verdict.
The court ordered that she be taken back to Mlondolozi Health Institution where she should continue receiving treatment until she recovers.According to Dr Elena Poskotchinova, a psychiatrist who examined Luzile, in an affidavit produced in court as an exhibit by Simbarashe Timothy Makoni, of the Attorney General's Office, she claimed that she is an Apostolic prophet.
Luzile appeared to be psychotic mostly in the form of delusion of persecution, reference and grandiose (believes that her mother and sister are witches who bewitched her and made her mentally sick and wanted to kill her).
She denied the crime and said her elder sister's daughter was killed by her mother and her sister who gave her special muti and wanted to use the body for witchcraft.
Dr Poskotchinova said in her opinion there is a reasonable possibility that Hii the time of the alleged crime she was suffering from mental disorder (chronic schizophrenia).
"She was mentally disturbed to the extent that she should not be held legally responsible for her action. She is dangerous to society and needs a special verdict to be returned," wrote the doctor. She pointed out that Luzile was unfit to stand trial.
On 27 September 2008, Luzile Ncube, her elder sister and her daughter were left alone at home by their mother who was attending a traditional ceremony in the neighbourhood.
At around 4.30 pm, Luzile instructed her elder sister Agnes, to source food from neighbours but Agnes refused and Luzile attacked her with fists all over the and Agnes fled from the homestead leaving behind her baby sleeping on the floor in one of the huts.
She returned home after hearing her baby crying and when she got to the doorway, she saw Luzile strangling the baby with her hands. The mother came back at about 8 pm and they did not inform her about what had happened and they slept in the same hut. The mother discovered that the baby had died at around 8 am when Luzile was trying to hand over the baby to Agnes but she refused.
The matter was reported to the police leading to Luzile's arrest. Luzile (27), of Bambanani Village yesterday pleaded not guilty to murder although she said she understood the charge. In her defence presented by her pro deo lawyer, Mr Solomon Mguni, of Hwalima, Moyo and Associates, Luzile stated that she was born with a mental disorder or disability (intellectually handicapped) and that she was mentally disabled at the time of committing the offence.
Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Lawrence Kamocha sitting with Mr Stanley Hadebe and Mr Patrick Hikwa as assessors found her not guilty of murder due to insanity ,and returned a special verdict.
The court ordered that she be taken back to Mlondolozi Health Institution where she should continue receiving treatment until she recovers.According to Dr Elena Poskotchinova, a psychiatrist who examined Luzile, in an affidavit produced in court as an exhibit by Simbarashe Timothy Makoni, of the Attorney General's Office, she claimed that she is an Apostolic prophet.
Luzile appeared to be psychotic mostly in the form of delusion of persecution, reference and grandiose (believes that her mother and sister are witches who bewitched her and made her mentally sick and wanted to kill her).
She denied the crime and said her elder sister's daughter was killed by her mother and her sister who gave her special muti and wanted to use the body for witchcraft.
Dr Poskotchinova said in her opinion there is a reasonable possibility that Hii the time of the alleged crime she was suffering from mental disorder (chronic schizophrenia).
"She was mentally disturbed to the extent that she should not be held legally responsible for her action. She is dangerous to society and needs a special verdict to be returned," wrote the doctor. She pointed out that Luzile was unfit to stand trial.
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