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Andile Tshuma, Court Reporter
A Bulawayo woman who killed her one week old baby and stashed it in a plastic bag before throwing it away has been sentenced to 33 months imprisonment.

The woman went on to escape from police custody and stole documents relating to her arrest to destroy evidence.

Rosetta Precious Moyo (24) from Cowdray Park suburb was arrested after she claimed to have dumped her one week old baby at Barbourfields Stadium after it had died on their way to hospital.

She appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Tancy Dube charged with infanticide, unlawful escape from custody and theft.   She pleaded not guilty but Ms Dube convicted her due to overwhelming evidence.

Under pressure during cross examination, Moyo broke down and confessed that she committed all the crimes she was charged with.

Ms Dube lashed out at her for her “unbecoming behaviour.”

“I don’t even have the words to describe what you have done,” the magistrate said.

“Cruel, selfish people like you should be dealt with in an exemplary manner to send a message to society that such will not be tolerated.  You are therefore sentenced to 33 months in prison.

“For the first count you are sentenced to 15 months imprisonment of which five months will be suspended for three years on condition that within that period you will not commit any offence involving infanticide.

“For the second count, you are sentenced to nine months in prison. Three months will be suspended for three years on condition that you don’t commit an offence involving theft within that period.

“For the third count, you are sentenced to nine months imprisonment, of which three months will be suspended on condition that you don’t commit an offence involving escape from lawful custody.”

Moyo will serve an effective 22 months in prison.

For the State, Mr Mufaro Mageza said Moyo gave birth to a baby-girl on July 1 at Mpilo Central Hospital. She was discharged a few days later.

On July 6 the baby developed some complications and she left home at around 8AM, headed for the clinic to seek medical assistance for the child.

Upon arrival at the clinic she was referred to Mpilo but returned home on July  11 without the baby.

Her landlady Ms Roda Mpofu questioned her on the whereabouts of the baby and Moyo said it died at the hospital and therefore had been buried at West Park Cemetery.

However, since West Park was closed after burial space ran out, Ms Mpofu detected the lie and alerted her neighbours.

Further pressed for the truth, Moyo lied again saying the baby had been incinerated.

Unconvinced, Ms Mpofu and other residents reported the matter to the police.

Moyo told the police at the station that the baby had died while on their way to Mpilo hospital, and she put it in a plastic bag and threw it into a pit at Barbourfields Stadium. Police attended the scene and nothing was discovered.

While she was detained at Cowdray Park police base, she stole the police report book, a receipt book, occurrence book and a docket before escaping, to try and destroy evidence.

The stolen property was valued at $50 and it was all recovered.— @andile_tshuma.