Grandmother who assaulted grandson for bedwetting gets 10 years in jail

The Morebeng regional court in Limpopo has sentenced a 43-year-old grandmother to 10 years in prison for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on her four-year-old grandson.

“The court found the accused guilty after hearing testimony from multiple witnesses, including neighbours and the accused’s former boyfriend,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said on Tuesday.

The court heard that in 2023, the victim, who struggled with bedwetting, was repeatedly assaulted by his grandmother with a tree stick. The child sustained multiple scars on his body and face.

“In a particularly horrific act, the accused also attempted to cut the child’s private parts to stop him from wetting the bed. The abuse was reported by concerned neighbours and the accused’s then-boyfriend, leading to her arrest.”

In aggravation of sentence, state advocate Andrew Kgatla said the accused had inflicted lifelong trauma on a child who was supposed to be in her care.

“He further argued that the victim lived in constant fear, knowing that any instance of bedwetting could lead to further physical harm.”

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