Rukwa man appears in court for killing own daughter

A RESIDENT of Mkangala area in Namanyere Township, Rukwa Region, Charles Mtonja (19), has appeared in court here, accused of killing his own daughter.

Mtonja who on January 13, 2014 appeared before Nkasi District Magistrate Ramadhan Mgamalila for the first time is accused of hitting to death his own daughter Kolo Mtonja (2), using a club while fighting his wife, Mwenge Tengeneji (16). He accused the wife of defying his instructions.

However, the accused was not allowed to enter into any plea because his case would be tried in the High Court as the lower courts are not mandated to handle murder charges. The Magistrate Mgamalila adjourned the case until February 27, this year when it comes for mention.

The accused was taken back to custody as bail was not applicable. The prosecution side led by Assistant Inspector of Police Mr Hamimu Gwello told the court that the investigation was still going on.

Earlier, the prosecuting side informed the court that the accused committed the crime on February 8, this year at his house located at Mkangala area in Namanyere Township.

It was further alleged that on that material morning, the second wife of the accused, Mwenge was busy in the kitchen preparing food for herdsmen who graze family’s cattle.

The husband instructed her to bath the baby who is the child of his first wife. The mother of that baby was not around at that particular time.

Mr Gwello further told the court that Mwenge sent another child to fetch water, so that she could wash the child, the instruction that annoyed the accused who resorted to beating the wife.

Armed with a club he rushed inside the kitchen and started attacking his wife. “It was at that juncture the child Kolo heard her mother crying of pains, the horrified child rushed into the kitchen and went round to sit at the back of the weeping mother who was seated on the floor as the husband continued to beat her with a club.

He wanted to hit at his wife’s head, but the club landed on the head of his child, severely wounding him,” added the Prosecutor.

According to Mr Gwello the accused stopped beating his wife after realizing that the baby was seriously injured. The couple hurried the injured baby to Namanyere Designated District Hospital for treatment but the baby was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

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