Life in jail for a mother who murdered newborn
The Roodepoort Magistrate's Court sentenced a mother to life imprisonment for murdering her newborn after claiming that the infant was injured during birth.
Mpho Selina Madule (39) was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court, for murdering her infant on April 12, 2020.
According to a statement shared by the National Prosecuting Authority, investigations conducted by Warrant Officer Clifford Alcock of the Roodepoort detectives revealed that after the incident, Madule and the father of the newborn reported to Emergency Medical Services that the baby was injured during birth.
Upon examination by a paramedic, the extent of the infant’s injuries was discovered. The paramedic provided initial treatment and referred the infant to Leratong Hospital, where the infant succumbed to injuries.
Madule was convicted of premeditated murder, after the state leading evidence by, among others, two doctors who testified that the injuries could only have been caused by a sharp object, either a knife or a pair of scissors.
“They further testified that force was applied to have caused fatal injuries as the deceased’s collarbone was also broken. In her defence, presented through her attorney, the accused claimed that while using the toilet due to pregnancy-related discomfort, she suddenly experienced cramps, knelt, and gave birth. She said that the infant accidentally fell onto a shrub, resulting in fatal injuries,” reads the statement.
Prosecutor Sipho Makhubo had argued that the murder of the infant was premeditated and that Madule failed to take responsibility for her actions and attempted to evade justice despite repeatedly stabbing the infant.
Handing down the sentence, magistrate Ettienne van Niekerk ruled that the accused’s dishonest testimony and the premeditated nature of the murder meant there were no mitigating circumstances to warrant a departure from the mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
