Woman buries baby alive, walks free

A 23-year-old woman, who buried her newborn baby alive in a shallow grave, was lucky to escape jail when she appeared before a Hwange magistrate recently.

Vivian Phiri (23) of Lwendulu village was charged with infanticide. She told provincial magistrate, Ms Sharon Rosemani that she killed her baby to save it from starvation due to poverty.

"Your worship, I killed my baby because I couldn't look after it. I'm not employed and am also a dependant. I was scared and felt that was the only logical thing to do," said Phiri.

Ms Rosemani sentenced Phiri to 12 months imprisonment but suspended five months on condition of good behaviour. The remaining seven months were commuted to 246 hours of community service at St Patrick's hospital.

Ms Rosemani said in sentencing Phiri the court had taken into account the mental state that is associated with someone who has just given birth. "What you did is wrong and can't be condoned but the court has taken into account the unstable mental state of certain women after childbirth, which prompts them to act on impulse," she said.