Mabesekwa woman charged with child negligence

Goitsemodimo Akanyang | Wednesday March 27, 2019 12:07

 

The state alleges that on April 25, 2018, the accused, Kediitse Masisi, left her home village leaving behind her two children with her grandmother. 

In the process, she failed to offer the children protection or health. 

Kediitse pleaded guilty to the offence. 

In an attempt to convince the court to consider her situation before sentencing her, Kediitse said: “I have had it tough ever since I was a little girl. My family does not treat me as one of their own, they treat me like an outsider”. 

When Magistrate Lebakeng asked her where the fathers of her children were, Kediitse told the court that they each disappeared after impregnating her. 

“My children do not have a father because all men that have impregnated me have ran away and I am left alone with the burden of raising my children alone,” Kediitse said. 

“I hear you blaming the world and blaming your family for the situation you are going through.  You should stop blaming everyone and acknowledge that you have problems that you should deal with. Right now what are you doing about the situation you are faced with?  I think I should send you to prison because whether you are out or not, your children are still suffering,” magistrate Lebakeng said. 

In response Kediitse pleaded with the court to forgive her and swore to never repeat the mistake again. 

She also prayed with the court to not send her to prison because she cannot cope with prison life. 

In response, the magistrate said: “I need the social worker’s report to know what they have found out from their assessment. I also want to look at it before considering a punishment because maybe the social worker may consider that your upbringing and social background contributed to the situation you are facing. But you should bear in mind that the state has recommended that you should be imprisoned for six months”.

Kediitse is due in court on May 7, 2019 for facts reading.