Mother held for burning daughter,8 with hot knife

Area police boss says assailant will be charged after investigations. [Courtesy]

Police have arrested a woman accused of searing her eight-year-old daughter with a red-hot knife for coming home late from school.

The suspect allegedly committed the offence at their Shivanga home in Malava sub-county.

Shivanga Chief John Munji said the suspect had been assaulting her daughter.

"Teachers at Fubuye Primary School, which the girl attends, have warned the woman about attacking her daughter to no avail. She has simply refused to change," Mr Munji said.

The chief said the victim sustained burns on the thighs and legs.

"I saw the child and wondered how a mother could be so cruel, even to her own daughter," he said yesterday. 

Malava OCPD Peter Mwanzo said investigations were already underway.

"We have the suspect in our custody. Once we are through with our investigations, appropriate charges will be preferred against her," he said.

Peris Amunga, the head teacher of Fubuye, said a passerby had told her about a pupil who was lying on the roadside unable to walk.

"I was shocked to find it was one of my pupils. I found the girl writhing in pain. Her injuries could have worsened if she attempted to walk,” she said.

Residents helped her to carry the girl to her office before she reported the matter to the chief.

"This is not the first time she (mother) is assaulting this girl," said Ms Amunga.

"We have warned her many times against beating up the child but she won't listen. I have even contemplated placing the girl in our boarding section."

The victim’s younger brother recounted how his mother reached for a knife that had been in the fire and attacked his sister.

“Our mother demanded to know why my sister always arrived home late from school before attacking her with a hot knife," he said.

After the attack, the woman is said to have applied surgical spirit on the injuries and ordered the girl to go to bed.