A shocking incident unfolded in Nkulumane suburb in Bulawayo, when a 26-year-old woman was arrested for “donating” her newborn baby to a workmate, in a desperate attempt to avoid the responsibilities of parenthood.
The workmate then took the baby to her ex-lover and falsely claimed it was his child.
This was heard when Siphokuhle Lorraine Nkomazana appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Learnear Khumalo on a charge of neglecting a child.
She pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody to 17 December 2024, for continuation of trial.
In her defence, Nkomazana told the court that she had an affair with another man after her husband left for South Africa. She claimed that the pregnancy was unplanned and she only discovered it at six months.
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Nkomazana admitted that she didn’t want the child and had considered abortion, but her workmate, Lungile Ncube, offered to take the baby and pretend it was hers after the birth.
“I didn’t bother to check where she was taking the child because I didn’t want the baby and wouldn’t want it anytime soon,” she said.
The court heard that sometime in October 2024, when she was seven months pregnant, Nkomazana told Ncube that she didn’t want the baby. Ncube suggested that she keep the baby and give it to her after the birth.
On 1 December 2024, four days after giving birth at United Bulawayo Hospitals, Nkomazana was discharged and gave the baby to Ncube. Ncube then took the baby to her ex-boyfriend, Yekhubuhle Ndlovu’s house, claiming it was their child.
Ndlovu became suspicious when he noticed that Ncube didn’t have a medical card and wasn’t breastfeeding the baby.
He and his family took Ncube to the police station to report the matter, leading to her arrest.
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