A magistrate court in Dowa has today sent to jail a woman for two years for burning her seven-year-old son for stealing a chicken.

State Prosecutor Agnes Mphinga told the court that the boy and his friends slaughtered, roasted and ate the chicken which annoyed owner of the stolen chicken who went to the boy’s mother to let her know of the offence.

She further told the court that the woman, Rute Sikelo, 28, from Ngalazuka village TA Mkukula had put a knife on fire and burnt the child on the cheeks, nose and hands, soon after the owner of the chicken had left.

First Grade Magistrate Amran Phiri hopes the sentence is stiff enough to deter other would-be offenders.