A 30-YEAR-OLD Chirumanzu woman was yesterday jailed to an effective seven years in prison for murder with actual intent after she strangled her two-and-a-half year old son from a previous marriage in order to please her new spouse.
by Stephen Chadenga
Precious Hamandishe of Rutize Village under headman Chigegwe strangled her son, Tinashe Mangoma, with tree bark fibre in a bid to please her new love and in-laws.
This was after her new husband, George Runese (Jnr) had refused to keep her sick son and wanted the toddler taken back to his father.
Hamandishe then killed the boy and lied to Runesu that she had taken him back to his father.
She told High Court judge, Justice Martin Makonese that she had killed Tinashe because he was chronically ill and all relatives had abandoned her.
Makonese said although he had considered that Hamandishe was a first offender, who had suffered physical and emotional stress, her decision to kill her son was driven by “selfish motives” in a bid to save her new marriage.
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Prosecutor, Mirirai Shumba told the court that sometime in January 2015, Hamandishe got married to Runesu.
She took her son from a previous marriage to Runesu’s homestead, but her in-laws were not keen on accommodating the boy.
After failing to return the toddler to his father, Hamandishe took him to a secluded spot in the bush and laid the minor on a rock before strangling him with tree bark fibre. She left the dead child in the bush.
On January 18, the toddler’s body was discovered by villagers in a state of decomposition and a report was made to the police, leading to Hamandishe’s arrest.
