ONE more suspect has been arrested in connection with a case where a newborn baby was sold for US$180.
Jestina Mashamba (45) from Budiriro 1, Harare, employed at Sally Mugabe Maternity Hospital appeared before Harare regional magistrate Donald Ndirowei on Saturday last week.
Prosecutor Blessed Songozo alleged that sometime in February and March, Mashamba acting in concert with Dion Tore, Betty Patricia Sena and a minor, who is the mother of the female infant, now nine months old, hatched a plan to traffic the baby.
During the same period, Mashamba, who is employed as a midwife at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, unlawfully induced the infant’s mother so that she delivers prematurely.
On February 25, the baby was delivered at 28 weeks.
The court heard that on March 5, Mashamba allegedly handed over the newborn baby to Tore using falsified documents purporting that she had given birth.
The State further alleged that Mashamba abused her supervisory position to facilitate the unsafe discharge of the premature infant from the hospital before she was due for discharge.
Thereafter, Mashamba acting in common purpose with Betty Patricia Sena, who is also a midwife at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Harare originated a fake death record purporting that the biological mother of the infant had given birth and her child had passed away.
- Fourth suspect arrested in baby trafficking case
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The court heard that on November 29 this year, Mashamba surrendered herself to the CID Counter Terrorism Unit leading to her arrest.
Meanwhile, Tore and Sena were on Monday this week denied bail by Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa on the same charges.
The trio initially appeared in court last week. The minor was released into the custody of the Department of Social Welfare.
According to the prosecution, the mother connected with Tore through a WhatsApp group, where they discussed the adoption of the baby.
Tore, who had a history of miscarriages, allegedly induced the minor to prematurely deliver at Sally Mugabe Hospital and created a fake death record to conceal the transaction.
The mother received US$180 from Tore via EcoCash between May and August and the baby was discovered after police received a tip-off, leading to the trio's arrest.
They will be returning to court on Thursday together with Mashamba for co-joining their records.
