The Sunday Mail
Noah Pito in Hurungwe
A 62-year-old woman here allegedly murdered her one-year-old grandchild, claiming he was the son her husband had with their daughter-in-law.
Susan Madeko of Tanhara Village was remanded in custody when she appeared before Karoi magistrate Mr Sam Chitumwa last week, charged with murder.
She was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Prosecutor Mr Gerald Dhamusi told the court that Madeko stormed her son Divine Rapayi’s home on August 10, claiming the infant was his father’s son.
She also allegedly claimed the child could not be Divine’s as it was “taboo for the Rapayis’ daughters-in-law to bear boys the first time round”.
Divine, the court heard, cooled down his mother, but all hell broke loose on August 13 when she allegedly accosted him as he relaxed with the one-year-old and a friend in a kombi.
Madeko allegedly screamed “Ndoda ropa rangu! (I want my blood!)” and snatched the infant and slammed him repeatedly against the ground.
The boy bled profusely from the nose and was pronounced dead on arrival at Karoi Hospital.
