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Senior Court Reporter–
A 10-year-old girl reported her 50-year-old mother to the police for physical and psychological abuse. The minor, a Grade Five pupil at Blakiston Primary School, Harare, alleges her mother denies her food and forces her into nightclubs. The girl’s parents are divorced. The woman appeared before magistrate Mr Milton Serima charged with contravening the Children’s Act.

In her evidence-in-chief during trial, the girl narrated how her mother would physically and verbally assault her.

At times she would call her a prostitute, the court heard.

The girl said when her father brings school fees and money to buy books, the mother uses it to buy alcohol.

She said all the family property was attached by the Deputy Sheriff over debts and she sleeps on the floor without blankets. The mother returns home in the wee hours from nightclubs.

The mother, a former bank teller, denies the allegations.

The minor’s evidence was corroborated by a neighbour, her headmaster and the probation officer.

“She always tells me to ask for some money from daddy, so when I do not do as she says, she will then physically assault me calling me a prostitute.

“If daddy gives me money for books and other school material, she takes that money and buys beer with Uncle Paul,” she said.

“Mommy always tells me that I am HIV-positive and that I am going to die soon. I get food from our neighbour and she is also the one who gave me a blanket. I sometimes go to school on an empty stomach hence I cannot concentrate in class.

“When she takes me to the night- clubs, she orders me not to tell daddy.”

The girl said she wanted to stay with her stepmother whom she said was a loving person.

A neighbour, who was the second witness, narrated to the court how the 50-year-old woman ill-treats her child.

“I tried to talk to her about the abuse but vakanditi mwana wavo saka vanoita zvavanoda naye. She is a drunkard and whenever she is high, she assaults the poor girl. I am the one who always gives her food,” she said.

The probation officer said when he visited the woman’s house there was no sign of food.

He said when they visited the girl’s school, the headmaster said the minor’s performance was declining.

The headmaster said the girl was attending school on an empty stomach.

The probation officer said the girl’s mother needed help as she was offloading her stress on the minor.

The trial continues tomorrow.