Woman pleads guilty of stealing Zingwangwa baby

The woman who stole a baby at Zingwangwa Health Centre on Thursday pleaded guilty and apologised to the biological mother when she appeared in the Blantyre Principal Resident Magistrate’s Court.

Nancy Lamulani pleaded guilty of abducting a child before principal resident magistrate Innocent Nebi.

According to court documents, Lamulani and her husband, Edward, are answering charges of fraudulently taking, retaining and concealing a child without the consent of its parents.

Lamulani apologised to Bridget Taombe, saying she had no intention of harming the month-old baby, Upile, arguing she wanted to raise her.

“I apologise to the parents of the child. They should forgive me because I have a child of my own and I do not know what happened.

“I was beaten by the police and I went to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital drenched in urine, but my intention was not to harm the baby, but to raise her,” said Lamulani.

Taombe, however, said she could not forgive Lamulani because it was wrong to steal a child.

“If Lamulani wanted to have a child, she would have used formal processes to adopt one, but she stole my baby and I cannot forgive her for that,” said Taombe.

Sentencing in the case is scheduled for today (Friday).