Granny up for strangling newborn grandson

By Walter Mswazie

A 53-year-old woman from Gutu in Masvingo allegedly strangled her daughter’s newborn baby boy before throwing the corpse into a hole.

Joyce Tavarwisa of Gapare Village under Chief Serima pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder when she appeared before Gutu resident magistrate Nyasha Vhitorini on Friday.

Prosecuting, Agatha Gabriel told the court that on December 7, 2013, Sheila Tavarwisa who had just given birth to a baby boy left the infant in the custody of her mother, Joyce, while doing household chores.

The court heard that Joyce had not taken her daughter’s divorce lightly and declared that she would not accept an illegitimate child into her homestead.

While Sheila was still doing household chores, in a fit of rage, Joyce looked at the innocent baby twice before gathering courage and strangled it.

When Sheila turned her attention to the baby, she was taken aback by seeing her mother holding the baby’s lifeless body while moving towards a deep hole in the homestead.

The court heard that Sheila rushed to the scene and stopped Joyce from throwing the baby’s body into a hole. She managed to wrestle the baby’s body from her mother after which she raised alarm that attracted other villagers.

A report was made leading to Joyce’s arrest. Tavarwisa was remanded in custody to Monday, December, 30, for trial after being denied bail. She was asked to apply to the High Court for bail due to the gravity of her case. The Chronicle