Alice Nyaradzo Dube, 19, of Mkoba Village 17 in Gweru, Zimbabwe, appeared before magistrate Judith Taruvinga facing one count of neglecting her child. After she was convicted, she was handed 210 hours community service. However, Dube had pleaded not guilty and claimed that she had left the child in someone’s care.
“Your Worship, I didn’t neglect my child, I only left her in my aunt’s custody. I’m three months pregnant now and I wanted to go to Hwange where my husband is and would only come back to take my child after we settle down,”she said.
In passing sentence, Taruvinga said Dube was not a good mother. “You’re not a good mother considering you dumped your baby to please your new husband. You shouldn’t give other people burdens because of your irresponsible actions,” she said.
“You’re sentenced to 10 months imprisonment of which four months are suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. Six months are further suspended on condition you perform 210 hours of community service at Mkoba Clinic and you complete it in seven weeks.”
On March 18 at around 3PM, Dube left her one year old daughter at a flea market after promising to return later in the day to collect her, but did not do so until she was arrested on April 2.