Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
TWO women who are facing allegations of trafficking a new born baby have been denied bail by Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa.
Christabel Muringami and Tabeth Chenyika (19) are facing human trafficking charges.
In her ruling, Mrs Gofa said despite her age, Chenyika was so desperate to the extent of illegally adopting a baby.
She said the gravity of the offence they are facing warrants a custodial sentence hence if granted bail, the two will abscond trial.
“The court finds that there is a prima facie case against the accused persons,” said Mrs Gofa.
“Muringami ran away from her parents in Bulawayo to come to Harare to give birth. It is the court’s finding that she is a flight risk and has the propensity to abscond if granted bail.”
Mrs Gofa said said Chenyika’s only defence was that she had lied to her boyfriend that she was pregnant and had given birth. She said her defence does not instill any confidence for the court to grant her bail.
They will return to court on May 5. It is the State’s case that sometime in January 2025, Muringami, who was pregnant, hatched a plan to traffick her child soon after birth.
She then advertised on a Facebook page called Adoption that she was about to deliver and invited anyone who wanted a baby to contact her.
She linked up with Chenyika and the two conspired to traffick the child. The court heard that on February 10 2025, Muringami travelled from Bulawayo to Harare and registered the pregnancy at Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Wing at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
On February 25 2025, she gave birth to a baby girl at Mbuya Nehanda and was discharged on March 28 2025.
It is alleged that on March 6 2025, the two contacted each other and met in Letombo Park in Msasa, Harare, where accused one (Muringami) unlawfully surrendered the custody of the infant to accused two (Chenyika) and effectively facilitated an authorised adoption,” the State alleges.
The court heard that on March 29 2025, Muringami was arrested following a tip-off that she had delivered and disposed the child.
She led police to Chenyika and the infant was recovered in Dzivarasekwa 4, Harare.
The baby was placed in the custody and care of the Department of Social Welfare.
