Mabvuku man is trouble for neglecting child

Michael Mashiri

A Mabvuku man who was left with a child by his wife who had gone out for work and started to taking the child from relative to relative and even to friends, has made his initial appearance in court.

Muchazepi Samundero, 31, of Manresa, Mabvuku, appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with deliberately giving out false information to a public official and also neglecting a child.

The State, through Zororai Nkomo, alleges that, around the end of February, 2020, Samunderu's wife was deployed for an operation in Zvishavane.

She left their one year, eight months-old child under Samunderu’s watch while she was away.

In March 2020, Samundero neglected and ill-treated the child and took her from one relative to another who would briefly stay with the child and return it to him.

Samundero took the child to his friends but the arrangement failed.

In the same month, he decided to abandon the child and packed the child’s bags and went to ZRP Ruwa where he made a false report that he had found the baby dumped.

He handed over the child to the police and the bag with clothes. In April 2020, the mother returned and asked where the child was.

Samundero lied that the child was with relatives but the mother could not go and see the child because of the Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Despite the mother’s pestering, Samundero could not facilitate the mother’s access to the child.

The matter was later reported to the police which unearthed what Samundero had done, leading to his arrest.

The State is yet to decide if Samundero is a proper candidate for bail.