The Mangochi Second Grade Magistrate’s Court on March 20, 2025, convicted and sentenced Daina Bauleni, 30, to one and a half years’ imprisonment with hard labour for assaulting her 7-year-old stepson. However, the sentence was suspended for two and a half years.
The court heard from Prosecutor Sergeant John Makawa that Bauleni had a history of mistreating the child whenever her husband was away on business. On March 18, 2025, upon discovering that the boy had eaten extra mandasi, she whipped him severely with a large stick, knocking out one of his front teeth.
The child also sustained bruises on both arms and had visible stick marks on his back, with blood covering his mouth.
The matter was reported to Mangochi Police Station, where the child was issued a referral letter to Mangochi District Hospital for medical attention. Bauleni was later arrested.
Appearing in court, the convict, who has a two-month-old baby, pleaded guilty to the charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and asked for leniency, saying her infant would suffer if she were jailed.
In his submission, Prosecutor Makawa argued that Bauleni’s actions endangered an innocent child’s life and called for a custodial sentence.
In his ruling, Second Grade Magistrate Baxter Chikalimba concurred with the prosecution and sentenced Bauleni to one and a half years in prison with hard labor. However, he suspended the sentence for two and a half years.
Bauleni hails from Mgundaphiri Village under Traditional Authority Mapira in Mangochi.
Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi
Public Relations Officer
Mangochi Police Station
Cell: 0999-706-525
Email: amina.tepani@police.gov.mw
Website: www.police.gov.mw