Woman jailed 1 year and 4 months for concealing birth of a child.

The Second Grade Magistrate’s court sitting in Mzimba district on June 26, 2023, convicted and sentenced a 42-year-old woman, Mercy Nyirongo, to 1 year and 4 months imprisonment with hard labour for concealing birth of a child at Chamaji area in the district.

Presenting the facts in court, the state Prosecutor Inspector Jane Chawinga said Nyirongo concealed birth of a child after her daughter gave birth to a preterm dead baby. She also disposed the dead body off on her own which is uncalled for in the society.

She further told the court that Nyirongo’s daughter procured herbs to abort the pregnancy and she made her mother aware of this but as a resposible parent she did not do anything to prevent her daughter from killing an unborn child which was eight months old at that time.

Mercy Nyirongo and her daughter were arrested on June 16, 2023 by Champhira Police post under Jenda Police station.

Appearing before court, Mercy Nyirongo, pleaded guilty to the offence.

She asked the court for leniency bearing in mind that she has a five year old child whom the husband cannot take care of alone.

Chawinga, however, asked for a stiffer punishment stating that, what Mercy did is not good to the society also the child who was killed could have been someone very important in the community and the nation at alrge.

In passing the sentence, his Worship Wongani Kumwenda concurred with the state and slapped Mercy to 1 year and 4 months imprisonment with hard labour for concealing birth of a child contrary to section 232 of the penal code.

Mercy Nyirongo hails from Chiluwa Village, Traditional Authority Mzikubola in Mzimba District.