Hopely Woman Commits Infanticide To Avoid Rentals For 7 Months

Zimbabwean News You Can Trust

In a tragic event that has sent shock-waves in Hopley, a 32 year old woman allegedly killed her landlord’s newborn baby and reportedly buried the child in a nearby field on the condition of a reward from her landlord that she was not to pay rent for the next 7 months.

It is alleged that the landlord delivered the baby on December 8 in the morning, but didn’t want the baby. She allegedly made a deal with her tenant so that the tenant kills the newborn baby.

The tenant allegedly waited until 10 pm when she instructed her 12 year niece to go and collect a bucket under the bed in the landlord’s house and bring it to a nearby road, with the baby inside.

Upon arriving, where her aunt was standing, the 12 year old girl allegedly informed her that the bucket she had taken from the house had a newborn child inside who was crying, but she was instructed to follow orders.

The girl reportedly followed the order and took the newborn baby out and allegedly held the newborn by legs, dropping her down several times till death.

After the act, the tenant reportedly sent the girl to take a hoe, and they went to a nearby field where they wrapped the deceased infant with clothes and buried her.

The following day, the girl narrated the whole ordeal to her mother, who found it hard to believe. The also told other neighbors about the incident, and her mother later realized the incident was serious, and escorted her to the police station on December 16 and made a report.

The police reacted quickly, and went to the field where the baby was reported to have been buried, and found the deceased buried 30cm deep, wrapped in a green and white long sleeved blouse.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Harare provincial spokesperson Luckmore Chakanza confirmed the incident and said both the landlord and the tenant are still at large.

“Accused person 1 is an aunt to the informant and also is accused of 2’s tenant. The newly born baby was delivered on 08 December 2024 in the morning by accused person 2. The baby was handed over to accused 1 to kill it, since accused 2 did not want the baby. Accused number one was not to pay rentals for 7 months as a reward for killing the baby.

“On the 8th of December 2024, at around 2200 hours, the 1st accused person instructed the Informant to collect a bucket which was under accused number 2’s bed and bring it to the road where she was. Informant took the bucket and checked what was inside, and discovered that there was a newly born baby crying inside the bucket.

“Informant informed accused 1 that there was a baby crying in the bucket, but she re- enforced her instructions. The Informant brought the bucket to accused 1 and she removed the baby from the bucket, held it by its legs, and threw it to the ground several times until the baby died. Accused 1 then assigned the informant to collect a hoe for digging the baby’s grave, and the hoe was brought, which was then used by accused 1 to dig a grave for the dead baby in a field.

“After digging the grave, accused 1 placed the body of the baby which was wrapped with clothes, and buried it. Accused 1 and Informant then left the place, and the Informant was instructed to go home. On the 9th of December 2024, the informant told her mother, residing in Hopely, about the case, but her mother did not take the matter seriously. Informant then told other residents about the issue and her mother realized the seriousness of the matter.

“She then escorted the informant to ZRP Southlea Park, and the case was reported on the 16th of December, and the informant led police officers to the place where the baby was buried. The baby was exhumed, and it was observed that the body of the baby was wrapped in a green and white long sleeved blouse. The shallow grave from which the baby was exhumed is about 30 cm deep. The accused persons are still at large,” said Chakanza.