Gibson Mhaka
A 35-YEAR-OLD woman from Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North province has been arrested for allegedly killing her newborn baby to conceal her infidelity from her husband who is based in South Africa.
Trasia Mathe from Mhlatshwa Line is reported to have had sexual relations with another man while her husband was in South Africa until she fell pregnant.
Allegations are that sometime in March 2021, Mathe was impregnated by her boyfriend and she hid the pregnancy to save her marriage.
It is also reported that during the time of her pregnancy she did not seek any medical attention. It is further reported that on 1 December 2021 and at around 4 am she experienced labour pains and gave birth to a bouncing baby girl. In a desperate bid to conceal her illicit affair, she then strangled the new-born baby and went on to bury her in a shallow grave in her garden.
The matter however, came to the attention of the police through a tip-off. The police then investigated the matter leading to Mathe’s arrest.
Upon her arrest she led the police to her garden where she had buried the baby. The remains of the baby were exhumed and taken to Tsholotsho Hospital for post-mortem. For her heinous acts Mathe is now being charged with infanticide as defined in Section 48 (1) (a) of the criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
She was not asked to plead when she appeared before Tsholotsho resident magistrate Victor Mpofu who remanded her in custody.
