Chikwawa Woman Sentenced for Negligence Over Child’s Death

A 24-year-old mother in Chikwawa district has been sentenced to 2 years in prison for causing death of her 5-year-old child for negligence.

The convict has been identified Maureen Dick who does a locust selling business in Chikwawa and also an addict of gambling.

Police prosecutor Martin Thulu told the court that on the evening of 28^th February, the woman went out to hunt locusts for sell leaving her two young children on their own.

After the hunt, she proceeded to Miseu Folo market in the district where she conducts her business.  On her way back home after her business, she found fellow women gambling and she decided to join them and that made her to reach home late in the evening.

She got home in the evening and immediately left for another locusts hunt. After the night locusts hunt, she joined her friends for another session of gambling.

While there, she received information that her 5-year-old daughter has been found dead behind a primary school and her private parts were taken off.

After a police investigation she was later arrested and charged with an offence of failing to protect a child from exposure to physical and moral hazards.

Appearing in court on Wednesday, police prosecutor asked the court to give a stiff punishment to the woman as her negligence has cost a life of an innocent little girl.

Concurring with the prosecutor, The Second Magistrate Chiyembekezo lambasted the woman’s behavior and described her behavior as inhuman.

The magistrate then sentenced her to 2 years in prison with hard labor for failing to protect the life of an innocent girl which got lost due to the mother’s negligence that arose from the trivial behavior.

She hails from Julian village, T/A N’gabu in Chikwawa district.