A 26-YEAR-OLD Seke woman who aborted her pregnancy and dumped the baby in a toilet was yesterday sentenced to 12 months in prison.
BY VIMBAI MARUFU
Zvikomborero Mutandwa of Njuma village in Seke, who pleaded guilty to the offence, will, however, serve 280 hours of community service at Zhakata Clinic after magistrate Lazarus Murendo suspended her sentence.
Mutandwa told the court that she committed the offence after her boyfriend denied paternity.
Prosecutor Norman Koropi told the court that on February 18 this year at around midday, Mutandwa drank two litres of diluted detergent in a bid to terminate her five-month pregnancy.
The following day at around 3am, she started bleeding and went outside her house behind the toilet where she gave birth to a premature baby. Mutandwa threw the baby in a pit latrine and did not tell anyone.
The matter, however, came to light when people in her village noted that the accused person was no longer pregnant and they informed the police. After investigations, the body of the premature baby was removed from the pit latrine, leading to Mutandwa’s arrest.
