A four-year-old Epworth toddler played informant against her thieving mother, who had broken into a neighbour’s house and stolen property valued at over $400.
The toddler appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court yesterday in the company of its mother’s sister and was expected to be the State’s “star witnesses” against her mother Kudakwashe Ruzema.
The toddler, oblivious of the calamity she had thrust her mother in, was apparently in a jovial mood as she played innocently outside Court 12.
Allegations against Ruzema (23) are she broke into her neighbour Saliwe Kushavashava’s house, on December 12 when she was away at her rural home in Zaka.
It is alleged before Kushavashava left her home, she requested one Casford Gwara to put up in her house and look after her property, but on the particular day, Gwara was away.
In her statement to the police, Kushavashava said after receiving information of theft of her property from Gwara’s father, she came to Harare and made investigations, but failed to get any leads. However, on December 19, Ruzema’s daughter allegedly spilled the beans.
She said: “The four-year-old came to my house and told me the accused, that is her mother, took my stove, home theatre, battery and mattress. She said the property was taken to accused uncle’s home.”
The trial is expected to continue this week when magistrate Stan Mambanje and prosecutor Patience Chimusaru would use closed-circuit television to enable the toddler to give evidence without facing her mother.
