A BABY-SELLING scandal was exposed on Wednesday when a Zimbabwean woman who is serving a 10-year jail term for human trafficking testified in court.
Twenty-year-old Pauline Maganga who was convicted for selling her two days old infant, appeared in court as a key witness against her suspected accomplice Janet Marimo.
Her testimony shed light on an online business involving women from Zimbabwe, South Africa and the United States, who pose as adoption agencies to coerce vulnerable mothers to sell their babies.
In her submissions, Maganga confessed that she had an agreement to put her baby up for adoption with Marimo, who claimed to be an adoption agent.
Maganga said she started communicating with Marimo in March 2023.
“I joined a group called Child Adoption of which Marimo was the administrator. In that group, there were six active members, all females, including myself,” she submitted.
The group was composed of women from South Africa, the United States, Zimbabwe and Marimo, she said.
“I recall that in March 2023 after joining the group, I then sent a message in the group informing [members] that I was six months pregnant,” she said.
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“I told them that I was not in a position to look after myself even after the child was born, since I was not financially stable.
“All the group members responded to my message and they were all willing to look after me during my pregnancy, to meet the hospital bills and then take the child after birth for adoption.”
According to Maganga, Marimo advised her that she should not sell her baby to the other group members.
“She said they would take my child for organ donation, so she volunteered to help me with all medical costs, including money to see a gynaecologist,” she said.
The court heard that on June 27, 2023, Maganga gave birth at Far East Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“Marimo gave me ZAR1 000 to pay hospital bills and the balance was supposed to be paid by the end of July 2023,” she said.
“I was only given the child’s birth card and I was told that I would collect the child’s birth record after paying the balance of ZAR1 800.”
Maganga said she entered an agreement with Marimo to pay her ZAR25 000 so she could adopt the child.
The matter was heard by Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei.
According to the State, on October 29, 2023, Marimo failed to obtain documents for the child in Zimbabwe.
She allegedly then smuggled the undocumented infant through an illegal port of entry.
On November 27, 2023, police received information that Marimo, who was never pregnant, had returned from South Africa with a baby who was then five months old.
Police investigations led to her arrest.
The case continues next week.
