Mother drags daughter to court for child negligence

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Thursday April 17, 2014 14:57

 

Appearing before Urban Customary Court president Dikwalo Monametsi, Hilda Kenosi was charged with neglect/ill-treatment of children, a violation of the Children Act.

The court heard that on April 12, 2014, Kenosi neglected her one and half-year son, leaving her mother’s house for two days without informing anyone of her whereabouts.

On April 14, Hilda’s mother, Kgalalelo Kenosi, tracked her daughter down to the child’s father’s house.  The court heard that Hilda and the child’s father refused to open the door to the grandmother.

Kgalalelo then decided to seek help at the Central Police Station.

Speaking in court, the grandmother expressed her disappointment with her daughter, saying the latest incident was not the first time that her daughter had abandoned her child.  She said on many occasions, the accused had disappeared into thin air leaving her toddler behind without notifying anyone about her plans.

Kgalalelo said her daughter’s behaviour had badly affected her, as she even feared for her job due to frequent absenteeism due to taking care of the child because of Hilda’s jaunts.

The grandmother said she had attempted all forms of disciplinary measures, including corporal punishment, but had only made the situation worse.

Kgalalelo pleaded with the court to either give her daughter a jail sentence or strokes so that she could refrain from her behaviour and begin to respect her mother again.

However, Monametsi said he was unable to order whipping for the young woman as the law forbids it.

In her defence, Hilda said her mother knew her whereabouts very well, including on the day in question where she had told the older woman that she was going to attend a match at Molepolole Stadium and later attend a festival at Duma fm grounds.

Hilda said that her mother had not shown any signs of disapproval. 

She told the court that she had then decided to check on her boyfriend, as she knew that her child was under her mother’s care.

Shockingly in mitigation, Hilda told the court that as an unemployed mother, she had nothing to lose even if taken to jail. She told the court that she would gladly serve her jail term if sentenced.

After sentencing, Monametsi told Hilda to never repeat the same offence or risk a further suspended three-year jail term.

He advised parents to never take their children before customary courts but rather use corporal punishment, as it is the only traditional medicine useful for disobedience.