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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
The husband of a woman who scalded and killed their six-month-old baby when she attacked him with boiling water, now wants the charges dropped, but the decision on whether to abandon the prosecution rests with the Prosecutor-General’s Office.

Fortune Vutete (27) came across a video of a naked woman in her husband’s laptop and attacked him with boiling water.

The infant, Munesuishe, was sleeping on the same sofa with his father Owen Mironga (32) and both were scalded.

Mironga filed an affidavit to withdraw the matter citing that the family had gone through enough after losing a child.

However, prosecutor Ms Sharon Mashavira told the court that she was sending the docket to the Prosecutor-General’s Office to seek guidance.

Vutete is facing two counts of physical abuse and one of culpable homicide.

The magistrate, Mr Elijah Makomo, adjourned the case to January 13 next year. Allegations are that on November 15 at around 5pm, Mironga received a WhatsApp massage from Vutete telling him that he had a visitor and was supposed to come back home. It is alleged that Vutete also sent a WhatsApp massage to Mironga’s brother, inviting him over saying she had come across a video of a naked woman in Mironga’s laptop.

The court heard that Mironga and his brother went home. Vutete told him that she was not going to say anything unless his brother’s wife was also called and so a messenger was sent.

Vutete locked herself in their bedroom while Mironga and his brother sat on the sofas in the sitting room and toddler Munesuishe slept on the sofa.

After a few minutes, it is alleged that Vutete came out from the bedroom accusing Mironga of taking her for a fool while heading towards the kitchen. The court heard that Vutete proceeded to the kitchen, picked up a pot full of boiling water from the stove with the intention of pouring it on Mironga’s body.

It is alleged that Mironga reacted swiftly and jumped from the sofa and had his right arm burnt in the process. It is alleged that the rest of the water meant for him burnt Munesuishe, who was fast asleep on the sofa, and he died due to the burns.