By PASSY HAACHIZO –
THE Kabwe High Court has sentenced a Serenje woman to five years in jail for burning her eight-year-old daughter on her right arm with a brazier.
Kabwe High Court Judge Dominic Sichinga sentenced Mirriam Musonda, 25, a business executive of Zambia Township in Serenje, to five years simple imprisonment for burning her five-year-old daughter with a brazier for stealing K5.
Musonda on an unknown date but in January of 2014, burnt her daughter on her right hand using a brazier for stealing a K5 from her which she used to purchase books for school.
Before the fateful day, the girl, who was at the time in Grade three at Boma Secondary School asked for K5 from her mother who refused to give her.
At night, the girl saw K105 belonging to her mother of which she took advantage and picked K5 and purchased books. When she returned from school the following day, the girl was beaten by her mother.
Musonda ruthlessly beat up her daughter and then pushed her into the burning brazier.
Musonda admitted the charge and sought leniency saying she was a widow.
“I understand the charge. I admit the charge; I made her fall on the brazier as I chased her with a whip. She got the money and as she was running away from me she fell on the brazier,” Musonda said.
In passing verdict Justice Sichinga said he understood that the widow was remorseful and hence, gave her only a five-year sentence with simple imprisonment.