The Press
April 30 2008

Girl well 2 days before her death
by Dean Calcott

A child appeared normal the day before being found seriously ill in bed, allegedly the subject of a sexual attack by her adopted father, a court has been told.

In the High Court in Christchurch, Zimbabwean immigrant George Evans Gwaze, 56, denies charges of murder and two of sexual violation of his 10-year-old niece Charlene Makaza, whom he had adopted.

Justice Chisholm and a jury have been told Charlene was found in a state of collapse with breathing difficulties in her bed on January 6 last year and died early the next day in Christchurch Hospital. She never regained consciousness. Police were called in after the child was found with genital injuries.

The Crown has argued she suffered a violent sexual attack by Gwaze resulting in her death, probably from asphyxiation, but the defence contends that Charlene was a sickly child who died of natural causes, possibly an overwhelming infection. She was HIV positive.

Gwaze's wife, Sifiso Gwaze, told the court yesterday the couple adopted Charlene and her sister -- her own sister's children -- after their natural parents both died in their 30s.

Charlene had been unwell from an early age. Documents from Harare dating from 1999 referred to her being chronically and possibly terminally ill, and she had suffered from several illnesses, including respiratory tract and ear infections and diarrhoea.

Once in New Zealand she was eating normally and putting on weight, but there were times she did not go to school because she was not feeling well. During 2006 she had 20 days off school because of illness. The school had become concerned about her progress and had contacted her, Sifiso Gwaze said.

On the afternoon of January 5 last year, she had helped dress Charlene before the child went to church, and noticed nothing wrong although some churchgoers said later they thought she was slightly unwell. Sifiso Gwaze said she spoke to Charlene in bed at 11.30pm after returning from work and there was nothing apparently wrong.

George Gwaze was already in bed, and she joined him.

If there were any sounds coming from Charlene's room, which she shared with her cousin, she would have heard it. "I am a light sleeper," she said.

"Any sound, I respond."

Also, if her husband had left the bed during the night, she would have known, and she had not felt George Gwaze get up.

"I would have woken up."

Charlene had a good relationship with George Gwaze, who treated her the same as his own children, she said. In Zimbabwe, he was a veterinarian and he and Charlene enjoyed Animal Planet on television.

On January 6, Sifiso Gwaze was supposed to go to work but, after the alarm clock went off at 5.45am, she could hear loud breathing coming from Charlene's room. On entering, she had to squeeze between the two beds, they were that close.

Froth and mucus were visible on Charlene's mouth, she was not responding, and her forehead felt very hot. She yelled for her husband, and she could tell he was very worried about the child's condition.

There was no blood on clothing or bedding but there was evidence of severe diarrhoea.

George Gwaze had said they should take Charlene to a doctor immediately and she was driven to the 24-hour surgery in Bealey Avenue, and then to Christchurch Hospital by ambulance.

The case is continuing.