Woman fined for concealing birth

Naomi Kazukuku, 30, was at sixes and sevens when she found herself pregnant with her fourth child. The baby would be a burden on her as she was divorced, but her situation was made worse when the man who made her pregnant fled.

She hid her pregnancy and when she was due. Kazukutu gave birth in secret and then threw the baby into a pit latrine at Liwaladzi Secondary School where she was staying with her parents following her divorce from the father of her three older children.

But attentive neighbours heard the agonised cries of the toddler from the pit latrine, so they informed the police, who rescued the child alive and referred it to Liwaladzi Health Centre for medical attention, where it was certified healthy.

In an interview on Monday, Nkhunga Police public relations officer, Austin Kaunda, said the police then arrested Kazukutu who confessed to have concealed the pregnancy because she was ashamed as she already had three children from her previous marriage.

When she appeared in Nkhunga First Grade Magistrate’s Court, Kazukutu pleaded guilty to the charge of concealing birth of a child contrary to Section 232 of the Penal Code.

In mitigation, however, she asked for forgiveness, saying she was asthmatic and as a mother of four children, they would be dependent on her.

Passing sentence on November 2, Magistrate Buleya said the offence attracts two years imprisonment with hard labour, but since she was a first offender and she had pleaded guilty to the charge, he had considered her mitigation factors.

However, he said the offence was not only inhumane, but it also attracts public disapproval and fined her K50 000 or in default serve 18 months in jail. She paid the fine.