Police in Dowa arrested a 28-year-old woman, Rute Sikelo, on suspicion that she burnt her 7-year-old son’s cheeks, nose and hands after accusing him of stealing chicken.
The incident happened on Wednesday evening, at Ngalazuka Village in the area of Traditional Authority Mkukula in Dowa District.
Dowa Police Station Publicist Gladson M’bumpha said that the boy and his friends at home slaughtered a chicken and roasted it.
M’bumpha added that the owner of the stolen chicken went to the victim’s mother to let her know that her child had slaughtered the chicken and ate it up.
“Upon hearing the news, the suspect, Rute Sikelo, put a knife on the fire and started burning the child on the cheeks, nose and hands, soon after the owner of the chicken had left,” he explained
The Publicist went to say that the matter was reported to police, leading to the arrest of the suspect. Meanwhile the child is being treated at Dzaleka Health Centre after sustaining burns on the cheeks, nose and hands.
The suspect, who comes from Ngalazuka Village in the area of Traditional Authority Mkukula in Dowa District, will appear before court soon to answer a charge of unlawful wounding.
Meanwhile, police have condemned the act of the woman and the law will take its course for the perpetrators of gender-based violence to be brought to book.
