Police in Balaka have arrested a 64 year-old man identified as Yakobe Alfred for allegedly pushing his 10-year-old niece into a burning rubbish pit after the child refused to collect a cup for the suspect from their house.
The district’s public relations officer, Inspector Gladson M’bumpha, said the suspect allegedly pushed his niece into a rubbish pit where there was burning fire.
According to M’bumpha, the child is a 10 year-old standard 3 learner at Nantcholi Primary school in the district.
The incident happened on 10 July this year as the child was preparing to take a bath in readiness for end of term examinations.
The suspect is reportedly said to have asked the victim to go inside a house to collect a cup but the child defied the order saying that she was already late for school.This did not go well with the suspect who later on decided to throw the young girl in the rubbish pit where there was burning fire.
The girl was later pulled out of the pit by well wishers but she sustained wounds on her legs.
She was immediately rushed to Balaka District Hospital for medication but looking at the gravity of the injury, the victim was referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital where she is currently receiving treatment.
Alfred comes from Kampeni village, Traditional Authority Nsamala in the district and will appear in court soon to answer a charge of acts intending to cause grievous harm.
