Runaway girl gets granny arrested

A 10-YEAR-OLD girl from Jambezi, Zimbabwe who disappeared from home for three days, has reported a case of assault against her grandmother for allegedly beating her up on her return.

The Grade Three pupil at a school in the area, told the police that her grandmother Blessed Tshuma (57) of BH86 used a switch to assault her on the head and legs inflicting some injuries on her.

The elderly woman pleaded guilty to an assault charge when she appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje yesterday but said she only assaulted her on the legs and not on the head.

“I admit that I beat her up but it’s not true that I assaulted her on the head. I did this to discipline my granddaughter because she left home and only came back on the third day when we were all worried,” said the grandmother.

The court was told that the girl had visited an unnamed person in a neighbouring village.

The magistrate sentenced Tshuma to a wholly suspended six months in prison on condition that she will not within five years commit a similar offence.

For the State, Ms Sithabile Daka said Tshuma and the girl stayed together in Musani area in Jambezi.

“The complainant was preparing to go to school on 31 July when the accused asked why she had been away from home for three days. The accused questioned why the complainant had gone to the neighbouring village and was not amused by the response she got. She used a switch to beat up her granddaughter several times on the head and legs. The juvenile sustained injuries on the head and legs and was taken to hospital for medical examination,” said Ms Daka.

The girl reported the matter to the police leading to Tshuma’s arrest.