Drunk love-making couple kill baby, day after receiving social cash transfer
ON FRIDAY last week, Dickson Mufwempa, 59, who is living with a disability and is a beneficiary of the social cash transfer received his K800 for two months and decided to take his wife for a drinking spree.
After having a good time, the couple, who had gone out drinking with their baby went back home drunk.
It is reported that the couple then decided to engage in sex and in the process slept on their baby causing its death.
Zambia Police Deputy Spokes Person Danny Mwale, relatives of the couple and residents of Palabana confirmed the incidence in separate interviews.
Mr Mwale said on April 23, 2023, around 07:40 hours, officers of Chalimbana Police station received a report of suspected infanticide which was reported at Palabana police post by Maleni Mukende.
He said Mr Mukende reported that Esther slept on her baby boy identified as Prince Mufwempa who was found dead in the morning.
The incident happened between April 22, 2023 around 22: 30 and April 23, 2023 around 07:00 hours in Palabana area, Chongwe.
“Esther, mother to the child aged 34 went to bed on the material day whilst drunk with her baby in a healthy condition. Around 6:00 hours, she went back to the bars to drink but was shortly called by her husband, Dickson Mufwempa to come and see their dead child in the house.
Post- mortem was conducted on April 25, 2023 and the preliminary results showed that their infant died of suffocation due to overlying by the drunkard parents,” he said.
Mr Mweemba said the docket of the case has been opened, the scene has been visited and the body was taken to the University Teaching Hospital mortuary.
Mr Mwale said both Esther and her husband have been detained.
Pearson Mufwemba who is the older brother to Dickson, said it is unfortunate that the life of an innocent child had been cut short by it’s own parents.
“I cant say exactly how they slept on the baby, but I was informed that the child died out of suffocation. The couple is fond of drinking beer, especially the woman.
“A day before the child died, my brother received K800 from Social cash transfer and they went to drink beer. This is their habit. Whenever they get the funds, they opt to drink beer [rather] than using the money wisely. now, they have not even had a chance to mourn their child and where not even present for the funeral because they were in police custody,” Mr Mufwampa said.
Another relative of Esther only identified as Maria said the couple needed to be taught a lesson especially the woman, who is in control of the home as her husband is disabled.
“They have three children, these children are alive today only because of God’s mercy. They could have been dead just like their brother. My sister had no care towards them and now, she will learn it the hard way,” she said.
She said on the fateful night, the couple was hered laughing and having a good time in their bedroom while in a drunken state.
She claimed that the couple could have slept on the baby while having a good time in their bedroom.
Credit: Zambia Daily Mail