By Dumisani Ndlovu
Retired senior police officer’s wife who recently made headlines for kidnapping a two months old infant in Gweru has been slapped with 18 months imprisonment by Gweru Magistrate Beaulity Dube.
The wife, Sakhile Tanyanyiwa Tshuma (34), who is wife to former Police Commissioner Mekia Tanyanyiwa, was convicted for kidnapping by Magistrate Dube on Tuesday, 12 March 2024.
Passing the sentence, Magistrate Dube said she considered what the accused’s lawyer from Chitere, Chidawanyika and Partners submitted, that the accused was a first offender and circumstances that triggered her to commit the crime. `
The Magistrate could however not be drawn into sentencing Tanyanyiwa to a fine saying the accused had no substantial reasons why she was fit for a fine.
“Kidnaping is a serious offence which attracts a stiffer sentence depending on the aggravating nature of the crime.
“After considering all the facts from both the state and defense counsel, the court considered that the accused is a first offender.
“The accused’s lawyer also advocated for a fine but could not give reasons why she should be given such a sentence. In her statement, the informant who is the mother of the child said she was highly stressed and depressed and risked being affected by a mental illness due to the crime.
“We considered that in order to strike a balance between the state, defence counsel and the informant I will stick to lawful sentence,”she said.
“If I consider a lesser sentence than that required by the law, we cease to serve our purpose as a court of law. The public will lose trust in the Judiciary and if that happens it will attract mayhem. In order to make the would be offender know the consequences of such an offence, I sentence you to 18 months in prison.
“The accused will however serve an effective 12 months in prison after the court conditionally suspended 6 months for 5 years,” said Magistrate Dube.
The six months were suspended on condition that she does not commit a similar crime within that period.
State Lawyer, Public Prosecutor Chistine Shoniwa, told the court that on 08 March 2024, the infant’s mother went to Gweru Provincial Hospital to collect her baby’s birth record.
“On her way back, the informant who is the infant’s mother was offered a lift into town by Tanyanyiwa who was in the company of another man and woman.
“The three were in a white Toyota Aqua registration number AFW 6208. One of the occupants in the vehicle advised the complainant that they would be making a stop-over in South View on their way to Gweru Central Business District,” Prosecutor Shoniwa said.
She said when they got to number 6247 South View, Tanyanyiwa asked the infant’s mother to assist the other woman who was in the car with a “newly born” to disembark from the vehicle.
“As the complainant got out of the vehicle the car sped off headed towards the Gweru – Bulawayo highway with the 3 people and her baby. She reported the matter to the Police.
“The accused took the child home and misrepresented to her husband that she had given birth. Her husband did not believe that the child was a newborn infant and doubted her story all the more when he heard that a baby had been snatched in Gweru,” Prosecutor Shoniwa added.
The retired top police boss took his wife and the baby to CID Gweru. Tanyanyiwa was positively identified by the infant’s mother at a formal identification parade leading to her detention and prosecution.
