Police in Ndola have arrested a 28 year old woman of Lubuto Township for stealing a one week old baby from the postnatal ward at Ndola Teaching Hospital on the Copperbelt Province.
Copperbelt Police Commanding Officer Peacewell Mweemba said Sofia Kabila has been apprehended and detained in custody for stealing a baby from Susan Kayambo, 32, of Chipulukusu in Ndola on Monday.
Mr. Mweemba said the child has been handed back to the mother as the suspect awaits to appear in court soon.
He explained that the suspect who claimed to be the relative of the victim took advantage when the mother was put on drip to steal the baby.
The mother had remained admitted to the hospital after losing a lot of blood when delivery through ceaserian section.
Mr. Mweemba said during interrogation the suspect said she stole the child after having a miscarriage recently, a development she hid from the husband.
“Brief facts of the matter are that the complainant gave birth on 05/12/22 around 08:00hrs through ceaserian section of which she lost a lot of blood. Therefore, she was admitted so that she can receive medical attention. On Friday 08/12/22 there came a lady in the ward who pretended to be a relative to the victim, after some time nurses chased her but she later came back she remained in the ward with the complainant from morning up to evening and that’s how she left and came back on Monday and she chatted with the complainant, nurses kept on chasing her but she could not go, after a short while nurses had to put cannular drip and blood on the victim. then the baby started crying. It was at that point the same lady got the baby to calm him, the suspect requested to bath the baby but she was denied by one of the nurses,” Mr. Mweemba said.
“She remained with the baby for some time, after the complainant stabilized, she demanded for the baby and that’s how a nurse went and brought the baby to her mother, after a short while again the suspect came and got the baby claiming that he was not bathed properly, but again she was denied, she managed to get him and remained with the baby from about 14:00hrs to about 18:00hrs when the complainant asked the nurse to get the baby from the lady, at that point she discovered that the lady was not within the hospital. They tried to look around the hospital in and out the premises but all in vain. At 23:00hrs the matter was reported at Hospital Police Post. Police made a follow up to Lubuto, where the the suspect had given the address that she was coming from Lubuto but address given does not exist,” the Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer said.
He explained how the suspect was apprehended by the Police.
“Be informed that the suspect has been apprehended and the baby recovered in Lubuto township of Ndola and her particulars of the suspect are; female/Sofia Kabila aged 28years of H/No. 6307 Lubuto Chintu of Ndola. When questioned why she committed the crime her response was that sometime back in the month of August, 2022 she had a miscarriage when she was six months pregnant and she never communicated the sad development to the husband ( Clearing agent Mr Kalumba Samuel). From the time the suspect experienced the aforementioned situation, she has been looking for a baby until yesterday 12/12/22 when a chance of presenting a baby to the husband came forth and she stole the baby. The suspect further said that she was able to achieve the stealing of a child because the husband is never home most of the time. The husband to the suspect when he came to the Police also confirmed that he believed that the child was his and took part in the nursing of the child the all night. The suspect has since been detained in Police custody and will appear in court soon while the child has been given back to the mother,” Mr Mweemba stated.
The nursing staff were very negligent in respect of this theft. The mother of the baby was equally negligent. How could she allow a person she does not know to hold her baby. I wonder where the husband to the mother of the baby was or indeed relatives who are known to her including her mother or aunt.
We are giving the police unnecessary work. Let us all be vigilant and protect our own.