Mulanje Senior Grade Magistrate Court has fined 38 year old Julita Matthias K45,000 or in default serve 18 months imprisonment for an offence of causing grievous harm to own son contrary to section 235 of the penal code.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Glory Ndhlovu told the court that on 23 January this year the accused burnt her son’s hands by putting them on fire for allegedly stealing relish while she was working in a maize garden.

Matthias pleaded guilty to the charge adding she did that out of anger as the whole family had no relish for food that day.

In mitigation, she asked the court to exercise leniency claiming she was the only one who supports the family.

Passing the sentence Magistrate Sidrick Chidikha said the stealing of relish was not a warrant to punish a child that way adding it was inhuman for her as a woman to behave that way.

Chidikha therefore ordered Matthias to pay K45,000 fine or in default spend 18 months in prison as a deterrent to the would-be offenders.

Matthias hails from Majikuta Village, Sub-T/A Mpunga in Chiradzulu district. It is not yet known whether or not she has paid the fine.-mana