Police at Koboko Central Police Station (CPS) are investigating the theft of newly born female twin from Koboko General Hospital. The baby’s theft was brought to police attention on March 29 which was Good Friday at around 8pm. Police, according Fred Enanga, the force’s spokesperson, the matter was brought to its attention five days later.
Enanga said the facts gathered indicate that Afekum Baifa gave birth to twins on March 21, 2024 at around 9:40am. The delivery was through cesarean section. The twin were a boy and a girl, and Baifa was being helped by Beatrice Chandiru 47, a peasant of Drimu cell, Godia Ward in Koboko Municipality.
“While she was asleep, her helper was called by Drateru Jelly, a midwife, to escort her to the placenta pit and pour urine and the discarded placenta. Upon her return, she found when the female twin was missing,” Enanga said.
Koboko police conducted a search in the hospital in vain. Baifa and her husband Richard Asiku officially reported the case on April 03, 2024. Asiku is aged 43 and also a peasant of Atongoro cell, Maracha Town Council. Police said it is against medical ethics and protocols to involve patients and non-staff in nursing and midwifery roles.
“It is every mother’s nightmare, to have her newly born baby stolen in hospitals and from homes. It is still common in hospitals, where suspects literally, go ‘window shopping’ in maternity wards and target new mothers especially those that are operated on by cesarean section. They befriend the new mother or their helper, offering to carry their babies or other favors,” Enanga said.
In Baifa’s case, the helper or attendant was lured away, while the new mother, was asleep, and the baby stolen. So far a total of eleven suspects who form part of the hospital staff were summoned statements recorded from them.
Police have identified the interrogated suspects as Lamiru Lois aged 50, the midwife in charge Maternity, Muzaki Caroline, aged 28, a midwife, Ada James, aged 53, a security guard, Dricilu Esther, aged 33, Deputy in-charge security, Drate Simon Adronga, aged 52, a medical doctor, and Leila Zamzam, aged 30, a businesswoman.
Others quizzed over the twin theft include Drateru Herry aged 47 a midwife, Ayoka Hamid aged 44 a security guard, Abiriga Augusto Alionzi, aged 42, a hospital admin, Mungunira Jimmy, aged 47, a medical doctor and Chandiru Beatrice, a 47 year house wife and helper.
“The case file was submitted to the RSA-Koboko for perusal and legal guidance. Efforts are in place to trace and recover the stolen baby, as we caution new mothers to be wary of strangers, some of whom are thieves, targeting their babies,” Enanga said.
Police have reminded hospital managers to strengthen measures at maternity wards purposely to protect new mothers and their children. Cases of children theft have majorly been common in public hospitals such as Mulago, Kawempe, Mityana, and Masaka.