By NORMA SIAME? –

A KASAMA housewife has been jailed by the High Court for causing?the death of a toddler that was strapped on the back of her opponent in a fight.
Presiding Judge Petronella Ngulube sentenced Alice Namusukuma, 28, of?Musenga Township in Kasama to five years imprisonment.
Namusukuma was initially charged with murder but the charge was later?reduced to manslaughter.
Particulars of the case are that Namusukuma on March 27, 2013 murdered?Patience Chilufya as she fought a suspected rival for her husband’s?affections only known as Thelma.
The chitenge in which the baby Patience was strapped onto Thelma’s?back became loose as the two women scuffled leading to the child falling?to the ground head-first.
Soon afterwards, the toddler’s condition deteriorated quickly as she?developed a high temperature and swollen head.
She was then rushed to Kasama General Hospital where she later died.
A postmortem listed the cause of death as brain haemorrhage secondary to?a head injury.??Namusukuma was convicted after her unequivocal plea of guilty but?through her lawyer Keith Katazo pleaded for leniency as she was a?first offender who had readily pleaded guilty.
Mr Katazo said his client was also remorseful and deeply regretted her actions.
Ms Justice Ngulube, however, chided Namuskuma for her lack of wisdom?and impulsiveness.
‘‘The convict due to her lack of wisdom and impulsiveness, attacked a person who was carrying a baby on her back and this resulted in the baby falling to the ground and her untimely death. I, therefore, sentence you to five years imprisonment with effect from the May 3, 2013,’’ she said.
The same court sentenced another housewife of Luwingu district for killing her abusive husband to five years imprisonment.
Ruth Musonda, 25, was convicted for  causing the death of her husband Kelvin Kaoma on June 11, 2013.
According to facts before court, Mr Kaoma returned home from a drinking spree and found his wife preparing supper.
He then began nagging his wife for food and in what had become the norm, started beating Musonda.
She in turn for the first time retaliated and pushed Mr Kaoma to the ground and started hitting him with sticks.
She then landed a blow to the head that later proved fatal for her husband who died at Chitoshi Clinic from a subdural hematoma.??In mitigation, she said she was remorseful and regretted causing her husband’s death.
Ms Jutice Ngulube said though she had noted the submissions, the convict’s act of violence resulted in death,‘‘ and for that, there will be consequences’’.