Man slams toddler to the ground
By Walter Nyamukondiwa
A Mhangura man violently grabbed a two-year-old toddler at the centre of a paternity dispute and slammed the minor to the ground three times before forcing the mother to take a herbicide while threatening her with an axe.
Matthew Musiyakurima (31) of Makumbe Village at Mhondoro Farm in Mhangura later on took poison before he was apprehended by villagers and handed over to the police.
He was taken to hospital after taking water which made him vomit the pesticide.
His wife feigned drinking the poison and did not swallow it.
Musiyakurima started living with his wife, Brightness Sithole, in February 2016, but always argued over the paternity of the child.
The wife once left Musiyakurima following such an argument.
Musiyakurima begged her to return and she complied.
Musiyakurima questioned the child’s date of birth.
On the fateful day, the two had a dispute again over the child.
A cat and mouse chase ensued as Musiyakurima wanted to assault his wife. When he caught his wife, he asked her to put the baby down.
She refused. He grabbed the baby before slamming it on the ground three times along a footpath.
Sithole took advantage and ran for dear life while Musiyakurima pursued to her uncle’s home.
Musiyakurima grabbed an axe. He mixed two herbicides and ordered the wife to drink the concoction.
She pretended as if she had swallowed the poison.
Musiyakurima was apprehended by villagers and handed over to the police.
He has since appeared before Chinhoyi magistrate Miss Patience Chirimo facing murder charges.
The magistrate Miss Chirimo remanded him in custody to tomorrow.
He is disowning a warned and cautioned statement in which he admitted to slamming the baby to the ground three times.
Police were ordered to record another statement which will be confirmed on the next court appearance. Mr Rummage Isaac prosecuted. The Herald
