A TAFARA woman, who stole a 10-day-old baby from an unsuspecting mother, who was relieving herself in a toilet at a local clinic, appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with kidnapping or unlawful detention.
BY MARY TARUVINGA
Netia Manozho pleaded guilty to the offence when she appeared before magistrate Tendai Mahwe, saying she committed the crime to save her marriage.
“I have been married for some time, but I’m failing to conceive. I lied to my husband that I was pregnant, so I stole the baby to save my marriage,” she said in mitigation.
However, the magistrate ordered the investigating officer in the matter to establish where Manozho lived and whether she was married.
She is expected to be sentenced today.
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According to the State, Manozho stole the baby from Priscilla Musademba (29) last Saturday after the latter had gone for her baby’s routine review at Tafara Family Health Service Clinic.
The court heard Musademba was on her way to buy a scaling bag at a local flee market when she met Manozho, who offered to help with carrying the baby.
The two then walked for a distance before Manozho told Musademba that she wanted to relieve herself and she handed the child back to its mother and entered a toilet.
After earning Musademba’s trust, the complainant handed over her baby to Manozho, as she relieved herself as well.
The court heard when she came out of the toilet, she realised Manozho had vanished and immediately raised alarm and people started looking for her and she was eventually found hiding in a bushy area near the shops.
Manozho is said to have surrendered the baby and was subsequently arrested. Sebastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State.