Vusumuzi Dube
Wilbrought Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
A 38-YEAR-OLD lady from Pumula South in Bulawayo has been arrested after she allegedly stole a newborn baby from the mother who had been discharged from Mpilo Central Hospital before travelling to Ntabazinduna to show the baby to her aunt, police have confirmed.
The woman — Anita Khumalo feigned to be assisting the mother of the child in looking for transport to Nyamandlovu before disappearing with the child. She was arrested after she showed no clue to her aunt’s inquiries about the weight of the child at birth and other inquiries.
The aunt is said to have asked for the birth record and she discovered that the name of the mother was not corresponding with hers. She then took her to Ntabazinduna Clinic for verification where it was found that the child was not hers leading to her arrest.
Police spokesperson for Bulawayo Inspector Abednico Ncube told Sunday News that the incident occurred last week between 3rd Avenue and Lobengula St in Bulawayo. He said Khumalo asked the 18-year-old mother of the child to look for transport to Nyamandlovu while she was holding the baby for her.
“The complainant is a female aged 18 years old from Nyamandlovu. She met Khumalo who joined her and feigned to want to assist her with transport after she was discharged from Mpilo Hospital maternity ward where she had just given birth. Khumalo is said to have hired a Honda Fit that took them from the hospital to Renkini bus terminus where they were supposed to get transport to Nyamandlovu where the complainant was going. While they were at the terminus, they inquired for transport and they were told to proceed to 3rd Avenue and Lobengula Street which they did,” said Insp Ncube.
He said they left Renkini and proceeded to 3rd Avenue and Lobengula Street on foot with Khumalo holding the complainant’s two days old baby boy. On arrival at 3rd Avenue bus terminus, the accused sent the unsuspecting complainant to check for the lifts to Nyamandlovu and she remained behind under a tree shed at the bus terminus.
“After about 10 minutes, the complainant returned and discovered that the accused and the baby were nowhere to be found. She looked around but her efforts were fruitless,” said Insp Ncube.
The following day, Insp Ncube said, Khumalo went to her rural home in Ntabazinduna with the child where she met her aunt.
“She (aunt) then took the accused together with the child to the clinic for verification. Investigations carried out by the clinic staff revealed that the newborn baby was delivered at Mpilo Hospital on 9
September and the child was stolen on 10 September leading to Khumalo’s arrest,” he said.
Insp Ncube advised mothers not to trust strangers with their children as that was not the first time for such cases to be reported.
Bongani Ndlovu