A young couple accused of hindering the burial of a dead body by dumping their baby’s corpse down a mineshaft were further remanded in custody by Francistown Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
29-year-old Lesedi Seleka and her Zimbabwean boyfriend, Niason Ndlovu, 26, are said to have wrapped their two-week-old baby boy in a blanket before dropping his body down a deep pit at the abandoned old Francistown Gold Mine.
Police discovered the child’s decomposed remains on Thursday 28 May. They were reportedly led to the site by the baby’s parents, who had been arrested and interrogated following a tip-off.
The cops suspect the body could have been festering at the bottom of the shaft – estimated to be about 30 metres deep – for as long as 48 days.
During Tuesday’s brief court appearance, Matsiloje resident Seleka begged to be given bail.
However, the dismissive prosecutor, Sub Inspector Cecilia Nchochi quickly countered, responding, “The investigations are still on so we pray they be further remanded.”
The inspector got her wish and the couple were sent back to prison until their next court appearance, set for 14 July.
During their first legal outing, Seleka, who is the mother to two other children, tried to shift the blame onto her lover, telling court it had been Ndlovu’s idea to dump the baby and that she had been against the plan.
Despite his girlfriend’s damning accusations, Ndlovu remained silent throughout. The Zimbabwean again maintained his stoic silence in the latest court mention.
