Moses Makwaya
Four suspects have been apprehended by the police for allegedly stealing a newborn baby from University Teaching Hospital UTH– Zambia’s largest health institution.
Two general workers whose identities were withheld pending further investigations allegedly received K3500 (about US $205) from a woman identified as Precious Nkunika to steal a newborn baby from another mother who recently delivered, identified as Dalisto Banda.
This event transpired after Nkunika lost her own baby 8 days after giving birth at UTH.
Confirming the news to a group of journalists on Wednesday, the Police said 2 maids (general workers), Nkunika and her mother have since been detained and are in police custody for the theft.
Danny Mwale, the Police deputy Spokes person said investigations revealed that two hospital maids connived with Nkunika who gave birth on the 29th of April but lost her Child on the 7th of May 2022.
” In the process, as she [Nkunika] was waiting for her baby to be cremated, she connived with hospital maids for another baby to be given to her.”
“It is alleged that money amounting to K3500 (about US $205) was paid to the hospital maids,” Mr. Mwale said.
He added that upon receipt of the money, the two maids organised and handed a male child to Nkunika.
Mr. Mwale further disclosed that the baby was stolen after the grandmother – Eneless Chizonde who was taking care of the child stepped out of the hospital to only find the baby was missing.
Mr. Mwale explained that after the incident, the baby’s relatives then reported the case to the police who immediately took up their role and launched investigations.
“On the 10th of May, the police around 22:00hrs managed to recover the baby in Kabanana, Lusaka,” Mr. Mwale said.
Chizonde was grateful that the baby was found but demanded answers on how a baby could be stolen under the care of the hospital.
Eunice Daka thanked the police for executing their duties in finding the lost baby as she thought the baby would not be found.
Eneless Chizonde, grandmother’s baby said, “we thought that the police are not effective but they have managed to help us so we thank them. However, we want to find out how a baby can be stolen from the safety of the hospital premises.”
Eneless Chizonde
We can’t believe that the child has been found because we moved all around in search of the child. We have verified and have identified that the baby is ours.
THE POLICE TRANSLATION
The four suspects are in police custody, two hospital maids and the accused by the name of Precious together with her mother.
The accused in this case is Precious Nkunika who gave birth to a baby girl at the university teaching hospital on the 29th of April 2022. Soon after birth, her child was admitted to UTH D- block where they stayed up to the 7th of May 2022 when her child apparently died.
