The Malawi Police in the lake-shore district of Nkhotakota are keeping in custody ha 21 year old Mariam Ganizani for being suspected of stealing a one month old baby girl in the district.
According to Paul Malimwe, Nkhotakota police station deputy spokesperson, the incident occurred on the night of April 12, 2018 at Mgomba village in the area of senior chief Malengachanzi.
Malimwe said on the material day, the suspect in mention posed as a pregnant woman and was looking for house to rent.
Fortunately, she got the house just close to the victim. Thereafter in the late afternoon, she left to collect her belongings.
To the surprise, she came again at night without the belongings complaining that she has failed to communicate with her husband and asked for the accommodation for that night.
The mother to the victim left to the nearby market to buy some relish while the newly born baby was fast asleep. Upon her return , she discovered that the baby and the strange woman went missing.
“The matter was reported to Nkhotakota police station for assistance. Following the report, police instituted a man hunt and on April 22, 2018, the suspect was arrested in Dowa district. The community members tipped Dowa police on the suspicious woman with a baby crying uncontrollably.
“Police swiftly rushed to the scene and arrested the suspect.The mother to the victim Mrs Olipa Josamu Mwale has since identified the baby to be hers. Upon her arrests during confrontation, the suspect admitted to have stolen the baby just because she had tried her lucky to have one but to no avail hence she opted to steal,” said Malimwe.
The suspect, is expected to appear before Nkhotakota first grade magistrate court soon to answer charges of child stealing contrary to section 167 of the penal code.
Mariam Ganizani (21) hails from Nkowo village, Traditional Authority (T.A) Chiwere in Dowa district.
