The case of an 11-year-old girl who was assaulted to death by her mother in Budiriro two days ago has triggered widespread condemnation with the public having no kind words for parents who use corporal punishment.
26-year old Vimbiso Muzvagwa is accused of beating her daughter to death using a cooking stick and a sandal.
“Haaa mashura chaiwo mwana akarohwa. Ini pandakasheedzwa ndakasvika akaita kuzvimba muviri wese,” a neighbour said.
Another commented: “It was too bad. Mwana akarohwa for more than two hours ndikabvinza vakati regai ane muskanzwa asi ihh it was too much.”
“Mwana anga ane muskanzwa hake amai vake vaigara vachicomplainer but umm handizive kuti vakanyatsorova kusvika afa here,” noted another neighbour.
Zimbabwe Republic Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident saying preliminary investigations indicate that the mother and her sister assaulted the girl as a form of punishment.
“We are investigating on the issue but from the statements we have the mother on the same day whipped the child as a form of punishment and left and the younger sister also assaulted the child.”
Corporal punishment for disciplinary purposes was banned in schools although parents still use it as a corrective measure.
zbc
Further report by Hmetro:
. . . Mum, sister kill daughter
Arron Nyamayaro, H-Metro Reporter
A BUDIRIRO woman, with the help of her sister, allegedly beat her 11-year-old daughter to death.
Vimbiso Muzvagwa, 26, and Florence Nyasha Muzvagwa, 23, are facing murder charges for assaulting the former’s daughter Ropafadzo Muzvagwa to death.
Vimbiso, a security guard, was reported to have forced the now deceased to lie down and beat her accusing her of misbehaving before she left for a night duty work.
Florence stands accused of further beating the now deceased but lodged a police report against Vimbiso after discovering that Ropafadzo was no longer breathing.
Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed arrest of Vimbiso saying she was assisting police with investigations.
However, H-Metro established that Florence was arrested some hours after Vimbiso and the two are being held at Budiriro police station and are expected to appear in court today.
“Police arrested a Budiriro woman in connection with a suspected murder case,” said Insp Mwanza.
“It is alleged that the now deceased, who is the accused person’s daughter, was living with her grandmother (mother to the suspect), in Beatrice since her mother and father were divorced.
“The now deceased was reportedly misbehaving as she demanded to go to her father.
“Two weeks ago the accused person is believed to have sent her younger sister, Florence, to go and get the now deceased from Beatrice after receiving complainants that she was misbehaving.
“On the 23rd of October 2021 and at around 3pm, the now deceased had a misunderstanding with her mother when she requested to go and stay with her father Roy Chikoore as she claimed she would live better with her father than with her mother.
“The suspect allegedly beat her with a cooking stick on the buttocks until it broke into two pieces.
“The suspect reportedly made a call to the now deceased’s father telling him to come and get his child but the father never came.
“On the 24th day of October 2021 and at around 2pm the suspect and the now deceased had a misunderstanding again which made the now deceased repeat that she wanted to go and stay with her father.
“This did not go down well with her mother who then picked up a brown leather sandal made up of a tyre sole and instructed her to lie down.
“She then allegedly beat her several times on the back and on both legs.
“The suspect then ordered the now deceased to do household chores before she left for work leaving the now deceased sitting on the sofa in the lounge with Florence at around 4:30pm.
“At around 8pm the suspect received a call from Florence to the effect that the now deceased had collapsed.
“She reportedly got back home.
“On arrival at around 9pm she allegedly noticed the now deceased lying on the bed motionless and took some salt and rubbed her on the neck, armpits, hands and stomach.
“It is very sad to report such an incident where life was lost.
“Investigations are currently underway to establish what transpired,” said Insp Mwanza.
H-Metro established that Vimbiso and Florence have been hooking several men and some of their potential clients were reported to have been sexually abusing the 11-year-old.
The now deceased’s father Roy Chikoore told H-Metro that he last spoke to his daughter some hours before the assault on Vimbiso’s phone.
“I separated with Vimbiso sometime in 2012 and got married to another wife,” said Chikoore.
“On the fateful day she phoned me complaining about how she was being physically abused by her mother.
“Akanditi mukanonoka kuuya kuzonditora munowana ndaurayiwa namhamha nekurohwa handichadi kugara navo.
“I promised to come and pick her this Wednesday but hey it’s painful.
“They have killed my daughter,” said Chikoore.
The body was taken to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital for post-mortem.
