By Sukoluhle Ndlovu
A 43-year old women from Mberengwa, Midlands Province, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after a traditional procedure she performed on an 18-month-old toddler resulted in the child’s death.
Chipiwa Majasi of Village 3, Kugutakurima under Chief Mposi, was convicted of culpable homicide by Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Naison Chivayo, at the High Court sitting in Gweru.
The court suspended two years of the sentence on condition of good behaviour, leaving Majasi to serve an effective eight years in prison.
The toddler died on March 5 this year after Majasi used a razor blade to make an incision beneath the child’s tongue in an attempt to address a reported speech problem.
According to court proceedings, the child’s mother, Ruvarashe Mafikeni, had invited Majasi to the family home at Runyararo Complex in Vanguard, Mberengwa, at around 7am to perform the procedure.
Majasi made the incision and later left the home.
The child fell asleep afterwards but was found without signs of life at around 2pm.
She was rushed to Mberengwa District Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
A post-mortem examination found that the toddler had suffered a lacerated sublingual artery and tongue injury, resulting in severe blood loss and hemorrhagic shock.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to Majasi’s arrest and subsequent conviction.
