Mberengwa woman throws baby into shaft over poverty

A Mberengwa woman, Ebber Mudadisi (35) has been sentenced to six months in jail or 210 hours community service after she was found guilty of throwing her newly-born baby into a mine shaft.

Mudadisi said she committed infanticide because of economic challenges that left her with nothing to feed the baby.

The man responsible for the pregnancy refused to look after the baby.

Mudadisi of Damsite Village under Chief Bvute appeared before Mberengwa magistrate Evia Matura last week.

Mudadisi pleaded guilty and said that she fell pregnant by mistake and has other kids to look after.

She said when she dropped the baby into the shaft, she hoped that a Good Samaritan would pick her up and look after her, but unfortunately the baby hit the bottom of the pit with her head and died.

She will do community service at Mavorovondo Secondary School.

It is the State case that on September 2, 2020 at 10am the accused delivered a baby girl and left her in a bush. At 4pm she returned to the bush and took the baby who was still alive, wrapped her with a plastic paper and threw her into a disused 13-meter deep mine shaft.

Austin Gwenhoro discovered the case leading to the arrest of the accused.

Mike Ncube represented the State. -Masvingo Mirror