The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa and Anesu Kurebwaseka
A SIX-YEAR-OLD girl is battling for her life at Mutare Provincial Hospital after her grandmother scorched her private parts and most of her lower body with hot roasted roundnuts as punishment. The 70-year-old granny, Julia Chishawaire of Mafararikwa Village under Chief Marange, was allegedly punishing the infant for being intimate with her five minor cousins.
Chishawaire did not show remorse over what she had done when she was arraigned before the courts on Wednesday, stating that the minor deserved it since she had to be disciplined for her wayward behaviour. She said what she did was not an act of cruelty, but that was how mischievous children were disciplined long back.
She appeared before senior Mutare magistrate Mr Innocent Bepura and pleaded guilty to the charges of physical abuse as outlined in Section 3 (1) (a) of the Domestic Violence Act, Chapter 5:16. She was remanded out of custody to December 21 since the State is awaiting a medical record as the infant is admitted at Mutare Provincial Hospital. Prosecuting, Mr Fletcher Karombe said on December 9, Chishawaire accused the complainant of being intimate with her cousins.
“The accused decided to punish the infant using traditional methods, thereby pouring hot roasted roundnuts into her dress through the shoulders. When the infant fell down, Chishawaire dragged her by the feet and poured the remaining roundnuts between her legs,” said Mr Karombe. Asked on why she acted in the evil manner that she did, she responded: “It has been long since she started playing such dirty games with her cousins. I stay with seven grandchildren, all of whom are below 10 years of age. Since last year, this particular grandchild has been offering herself to her five cousins each time I leave them alone at home and indulging in the (dirty) games.
“I do not want her to be a sex worker when she grows up, that is the reason why I opted to use the traditional way to discipline her. That is what our parents used to do to us when we played such dirty games. I took hot roundnuts and put them in her dress so that she knows how painful it is to be sexually active at such a tender age,” said the old woman.
She claimed that she did not know that her actions were unlawful, but admitted that she was aware that her actions would cause bodily harm to the child.
