Dad found guilty in beating, drowning death of 2-year-old daughter (Mbane, Swaziland)

Dad MBONGISENI FAKUDZE has been found guilty of culpable homicide in the beating/drowning death of his 2-year-old daughter.

http://www.times.co.sz/index.php?news=14426

Dad beats up, strangles daughter to death
By LINDA JELE on February 16,2010

MBABANE - The High Court yesterday heard how a father gruesomely killed his two year old by assaulting and later drowning her.

On the night of June 24, 2008 Mbongiseni Fakudze (23) killed his daughter by hitting her with her doll, choking, banging her against the floor and punching her with fists until she died. Yesterday Judge Qinisile Mabuza found him guilty of culpable homicide after hearing the matter at the High Court.

The minor’s sin was defecating on herself. Fakudze killed his second born child Notsile in the presence of her mother.

They were about to sleep when the deceased asked her mother Gugu Khanya to take her to the toilet. When they returned she was placed on her sleeping mat on the floor to sleep.

Infuriated

She however relieved herself inside the house, which infuriated Fakudze.

He is said to have woken up, took the child’s doll and hit her all over the body with it. He also used fists and an open hand to hit her and further banged her on the floor after strangling her. Efforts by the child’s mother to stop Fakudze from hitting the child fell on deaf ears as he continued. The child was this time bleeding through her mouth and nostrils. He further tried to drown her in water while trying to clean her off the blood and the dirt. He later threw the child on her mother and she died instantly.

Fakudze tried to convince his wife Khanya never to dare tell anyone that he was the cause of their child’s death.

He said she should say the minor had died of fits. However, Khanya phoned the police and Fakudze was subsequently arrested and charged with murder.

He appeared before High Court Judge Qinisile Mabuza yesterday, where he was represented by Ben Simelane from Ben J Simelane Attorneys. Qondile Zwane represented the crown in the matter. Fakudze pleaded guilty to a lesser offence of Culpable Homicide and the crown accepted the plea. Fakudze was present in court. He remained seated with his head bowed.

Approved

Zwane read the statement of agreed facts, which she said was signed and approved by Fakudze as a reflection of what had been agreed upon by the crown and himself. When asked whether he understood the approved the statement, he said he agreed to a majority of the facts.

“Ngiyavumelana nalokuningi kuso,” loosely translated as, ‘I agree to most of what is contained in it.’

Mabuza found him guilty of the offence. She also asked the crown counsel whether the mother of the deceased child was present in court because she needed to know what would be the outcome of the case.

Zwane stated that she had made arrangements for her to be present in court. She had however not arrived when the case adjourned.

Fakudze said he pleaded guilty to the offence of Culpable Homicide, not murder.

Judge Mabuza reserved sentencing to March 2, 2010.