There was drama yesterday in court when an elderly woman cried uncontrollably and fainted after listening to her daughter  giving evidence on how she strangled and killed her new-born baby with the help of two her close friends.
This led magistrate Judith Taruvinga to adjourn the court proceedings  for about 10 minutes while  Helen Mugariri’s mother   was taken outside where she later gained consciousness.
Helen Mugariri from Mkhoba 20, is facing infanticide together with her two friends.
Mugariri told the court how Carol Hamandishe and Agrita Jiti helped her to kill her baby and on hearing this her mother collapsed.
The three woman are denying the charges but were remanded in custody to May 7 for continuation of trial.
In her defence, Mugariri said she did not intend to kill her baby but her friends made her commit the crime.
She said her friends told her that looking after the baby was going to be difficult for her since she was a single mother who already had two kids that she was struggling to look after.
Mugariri said her friends found her after she had just given birth in her room with the baby still in between her legs at her lodgings in Mkoba 20.
“Hamandishe and Jiti found the baby still alive and the umbilical cord was still attached to it. Jiti strangled the baby and covered it with a comforter. I then noticed that the baby was no longer breathing and that’s when I discovered that the baby was dead,” she said.
Prosecuting Daniel Tafuma told the court that on March 25, Mugariri who was pregnant felt labour pains and asked Hamandishe to look for her landlady Sarudzai Chipfunde to come and assist her.
He said when Hamandishe could not find the landlady, she proceeded to Jiti’s house in the same neighbourhood. Tafuma said Mugariri gave birth alone while her friend, Hamandishe, was still at Jiti’s house.
“During Hamandishe’s absence, Mugariri’s friend Sibonokuhle Simango arrived looking for her and when she knocked at the door she was called by Mugariri who was lying on the floor covered with a blanket,” he said.
Tafuma said Simango heard a baby crying from Mugariri’s blankets and went on to congratulate her.
He said Mugariri only replied “zvakaoma” (kunzima).
“Simanga then left and met Hamandishe outside and told her that the accused had given birth.
Hamandishe then went back and told Jiti and Chipfunde that Mugariri had just given birth,” said Tafuma.
He said Hamandishe, Jiti and Chipfunde entered the room and found Mugariri strangling the baby with a blue towel wrapped around the baby’s neck.
Tafuma said Mugariri then placed the baby in a plastic bag. He said Chipfunde went and reported the matter to the police.
“An ambulance was summoned and Mugariri together with her baby’s body were taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital. The baby was certified dead at the hospital,” said Tafuma. -chronicle