Child Killed Over Bed Wetting

A 57-YEAR-OLD Buhera woman allegedly bashed her little grandchild to death, accusing him of bed-wetting.

The incident occurred on Monday last week when Venganai Tambudzai was punishing her twin grandchildren.

One twin is in hospital.

The child’s mother, Gracious Mukandadzviti, 22, who stays in Harare, said her twin children were staying with her former mother-in-law.

Mukandadzviti said her ex-husband, George Dhlamini, informed her that the children were not feeling well and had developed blisters.

“The following day George notified me about the death of my son,” she said.

She also claims her former mother-in-law mistreated her twins.

“Blessing (the surviving twin) confirmed that they were thoroughly beaten for bed-wetting by their grandmother.

“When I arrived in Murambinda, my former mother-in-law collapsed and cried, but those were only crocodile tears.

“She confessed when doctors at Murambinda General Hospital requested a police report first, before treating Blessing.

“She even begged us to bury Blessed without involving the police,” said Mukandadzviti.

She added: “I am devastated that my ex-mother-in-law lied to the police that Blessed succumbed to gwirikwiti (polio) and blisters.

“She even apologised to me that she carried Blessed’s body from Buhera Centre to Murambinda mortuary, without telling us.

“Mwana akaberekwa kumusana akafa veduwe, from Buhera Centre to Murambinda.

“I used to look after the children until my ex-husband requested custody.

“I initially refused but I let him take the children in January,” Mukandadzviti said.

She said everything seemed well whenever she spoke with her kids, and their grandmother, on the phone.

The father of the twins, Dhlamini, said they were awaiting post-mortem results before laying Blessed to rest.

“I am very depressed. Zvakaoma, I am in pain.

“My mother has been charged with assault and the other case of Blessed is still under investigation, as we are waiting for post-mortem results.”