A man who drowned his girlfriend’s six-month-old baby in a bucket of water will spend his life behind bars.
Mamelodi East resident Mandla Chauke (29) was sentenced to life today in the Pretoria High Court.
He was arrested in December 2016 for drowning his girlfriend’s baby in retaliation for her reporting him to the police for assault.
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While the girlfriend was out to lay the charge, Chauke drowned the child in a bucket of water.
Mamelodi East police Captain Michael Mbewe commended investigating officer Detective Constable Moshabi Sodi for his “tireless work to secure justice for the child and mother”.
“The verdict is a fillip for the police in their fight against crimes against women and children,” said Mbewe.
He said the girlfriend had visited Chauke from Mpumalanga a few days before Christmas but when she refused him sex, he assaulted her.
“The following morning, she left Chauke’s shack and the sleeping baby saying she was going to buy eggs and cigarettes when in fact she was going to the police station to ask for help.”
When she returned with the police, Chauke said her uncle had fetched the baby while she was gone.
Her uncle, however, denied picking up the child.
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Fearing for the baby’s safety, police accompanied her back to Chauke’s shack where they found the baby in a large water bucket with another bucket placed on top.
The baby was rushed to the clinic, but was unfortunately declared dead at arrival.
Chauke was found guilty of both murder and assault.
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