News

Woman kills baby to conceal extra-marital affair

A TSHOLOTSHO woman was arrested after she allegedly killed her new-born baby to conceal an extra marital affair she was having.

Trasia Mathe, 35, from Mhlatshwa Line in Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North, allegedly delivered the baby alone before burying it in a shallow grave in her garden on December 1, last year. She allegedly had a sexual relationship with a man from the same village, while her South Africa-based husband was away at work.

It is reported that she fell pregnant at some point during the relationship with the man, whose name was not disclosed.

Mathe appeared before Tsholotsho magistrate Victor Ndlovu charged with infanticide on Thursday.

She was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to Tuesday.

The court heard that Mathe’s matter came to light when community members realised she was no longer pregnant, but had no baby and tipped off the police.

“Following a public tip off, police investigated the matter leading to her arrest. 

“During indications following her arrest, the accused person led police to the garden where she had buried the baby,” the court heard. The court also heard that the remains of the baby were exhumed and taken to Tsholotsho District Hospital for a post mortem.

It is alleged that Mathe, in an attempt to save her marriage, hid the pregnancy and never sought medical attention.

On December 1 last year, she allegedly went into labour and delivered the baby girl without help, and strangled the infant before she later dug a shallow grave to bury it.

by

Andile Tshuma

in BULAWAYO