Father sentenced to death by hanging over daughter’s death

What you need to know:

  • The sentence was passed today, September 25, by the High Court’s Judge, Dr Adam Mambi, after satisfying himself with evidence given in court by the Prosecution that produced eight witnesses.

Sumbawanga. The High Court in Sumbawanga Zone has handed a death sentence to a resident of Singiwe Village in Kalambo District, Mr Augustino Nandi, after he was found guilty of murdering his own child and then tossing her body into a water well.

The sentence was passed today, September 25, by the High Court’s Judge, Dr Adam Mambi, after satisfying himself with evidence given in court by the Prosecution that produced eight witnesses.

It was alleged that a child, Olivieta Nandi, 12, was murdered by her own father, who had developed a habit of beat her heavily as part of ending his anger after he fell out with his wife, who ran away to avoid a beating.

In a case, whereby the prosecution was led by state lawyers, Ms Happyness Mayunga and Safi Kashindi, with the defendant represented by Mr Peter Kamyalile, it was alleged that the accused committed the offence on April 14, 2015, at around 21pm in Singiwe village in Kalambo District, Rukwa Region.

The court was told that during the material day there emerged the fracas between the accused, Nandi, and his wife, Ms Agness Mlyoto, who accused her husband of not being loyal to their marriage.

After the conflict she decided to run away and sought a short refuge in the house of Pastor Leonard Tuseko while carrying a little child on her back.

After learning his wife had disappeared, Mr Nandi went into the room of his daughter and started beating her up causing her death. He then took her body and kept it into a polyethylene bag which he tied to a tone before throwing it into a water well located outside their home.

It was alleged in court that the following day after the incident his wife returned home, where he asked her husband about where her child was. The husband replied that the missing child followed her when she was leaving and that was when his wife informed the police, who arrested him before he admitted to killing the child and showing the place where he had dumped the body.

The body of the child was retrieved from the water well with a huge injury on her forehead, indicating that she was beaten.