Woman in court for attempting to kill daughter’s schoolmates

A 37-year-old Zvimba woman was on Saturday dragged to Chinhoyi Magistrates Court for allegedly lacing food with poison in an attempt to kill her daughter’s schoolmates.

Paidamoyo Makayi of Murombedzi village under Chief Zvimba was not asked to plead when she appeared before Magistrate Kapururu, who remanded her to June 20 for bail application.

The accused person faces six counts of attempted murder as read in section 189 (l) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act chapter 9:23.

According to the charge sheet, on June 7, 2024, Makayi prepared rice and soup which she packed into lunch boxes and gave her daughter instructions on how to share it with her peers at school.

While at Matoranhembe Primary School, Murombedzi, the accused person’s child shared the poisoned food with her schoolmates, who immediately experienced abdominal pains and started vomiting.

The victims were rushed to Murombedzi Rural Hospital, where they received medical attention.

Makayi’s daughter confessed her mother had prepared the food, and packed it before curiously instructing her how to share it with colleagues.

Meanwhile, police initially reported that eight pupils from the school were hospitalised after vomiting excessively from ingesting food suspected to have been poisoned, but it turned out they were six affected children.