A woman was arrested for poisoning and killing her friend with a deadly pesticide in a bid to claim ownership of her child.
This incident happened in Matsapha on Monday. Information from reliable sources was to the effect that the suspect was allegedly married to a man in the Hhohho region; however she deserted her marital home since her in-laws were allegedly abusive towards her due to the fact that she was unable to bear children.
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“The abuse had been going on for four years in her marriage before she finally decided to leave and went to Pretoria,” said the sources.
The sources alleged that before leaving, the suspect had deceitfully informed her husband that she was pregnant. The sources stated that on her return, the suspect discovered that there was a funeral at her marital home, which she had to attend, since she was still legally married to her husband.
The sources stated that given that she had earlier informed her husband that she was pregnant before leaving, the suspect was expected to show up with a child at her martial home because by this time, she was supposed to have given birth.
“Since she was expected to come back with and formally introduce the child to her in-laws, she decided to borrow her friend’s child and presented her as her own,” alleged the sources. According to the sources, upon introducing her friend’s child, the suspect’s in-laws allegedly showed so much love towards the child as they were under the impression that she truly belonged to her, yet she was not.
Thereafter, the suspect is alleged to have brought back her friend’s child in Matsapha.
“However, she then decided to kill her friend, so that she could claim ownership of the child,” alleged the sources.
This, the sources alleged, the suspect did that by lacing potato chips belonging to the deceased with a deadly pesticide while she was asleep.
The sources said the deceased allegedly ate the potato chips when she woke up in the middle of the night, oblivious of the fact that they had been laced with poison.
Upon seeing her friend writhing in pain, the suspect is alleged to have contacted paramedics; upon their arrival, they discovered that she was already dead. Police were called and after conducting their investigations, they are reported to have then arrested the suspect.
The Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer (PICO) Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the matter
She confirmed that the police arrested a woman after she allegedly poisoned and killed her friend with a known deadly pesticide Master 900 Matsapha.
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