Lilongwe, April 20: Lilongwe Police is keeping in custody a woman for breaking her nine-year- old niece’s hand over rice food at Chinsapo in Lilongwe.

Confirming the incident, Lilongwe Police Station Public Relations Officer (PRO) Inspector Kingsley Dandaula identified the suspect as Hawa Miliwadi from Ntawanga village, Traditional Authority (TA) Tambala in Dedza district

Dandaula said the suspect was allegedly claiming that the rice she was keeping at home was mixed with water and suspected the girl as the perpetrator.

“She then mercilessly beat her on her right hand up to a point of breaking her right hand bone but surprisingly she was not taken to the hospital at all, until some days later when well-wishers tipped Chinsapo Police on the matter,” said Dandaula.

The Publicist said the girl was eventually taken to Kamuzu Central Hospital for treatment where she was found with a broken bone on the right hand and was dressed with a Plaster of Paris (PoP).

The suspect is a waitress at one of the restaurants located at Area 3 Market in Lilongwe while her niece is a standard 2 pupil at Chankhandwe primary School at Chinsapo in Lilongwe. Meanwhile the girl is at Tikondane Orphan Care in area 2 in Lilongwe for recovery and care.

He said the suspect was expected to answer charges of grievous harm contrary to section 238 of the penal code.