When she was arrested for the crime, Ebber Mudadisi of Damsite Village under Chief Bvute pleaded poverty claiming that due to the harsh economic situation in the country, she had nothing to feed the baby with.

The Publication has learned from the Masvingo Mirror that Mudadasi was charged with infanticide and appeared before Mberengwa magistrate Evia Matura last week. When asked to plead, she not waste the court’s time and readily pleaded guilty.

In mitigation, she told the court that she was a struggling single mother who had other children to take care of who she was struggling to feed and clothe. She claimed that she had fallen pregnant by mistake and that the man responsible for the pregnancy had refused to take responsibility to help her look after the baby.

She also, surprisingly, claimed that she had dropped the baby into the mine shaft because she hoped that a Good Samaritan would come across her and take care of her. However, investigations revealed that the baby died on impact when she was thrown down the pit. Her head hit the ground first, killing her.

Presiding magistrate Evia Matura convicted Mudadisi on her plea and sentenced her to 6 months in jail. However, the six months were suspended on condition that Mudadisi performs 210 hours of community service. The community service will be performed at Mavorovondo Secondary School in Mberengwa.