A grandmother was arrested on a charge of homicide after killing her
granddaughter following a beating, according to police in Zimbabwe.
Now, 54-year-old Betty Ndlovu of Tsholotsho, has been sentenced to serve
four years in prison after being convicted of homicide.
However, the judge suspended the prison term on the condition that she
stays out of trouble for five years. A charge of murder was dismissed.
According to the police investigation, 4-year-old Ellen Moyo was playing
with her siblings and friends when Ndlovu ordered her to come home.
The woman then beat Moyo with a heavy object.
When Moyo’s older sister came home from school, she saw Ndlovu burning
incense near her sister’s face in an attempt to revive her.
When the smoke did not wake her up, Ndlovu called for help.
Moyo was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Moyo’s eye
was missing and police do not know what happened with it.
According to the autopsy report, Moyo died of due to a lack of oxygen, which was caused by the smoke and the beating.
Ndlovu claimed that her granddaughter was HIV positive, and the smoke of
the incense helped her in the past. Ndlovu told the court that she does
not know what happened with Moyo’s eye.