Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. TWO women arrested for trafficking a new-born baby early this year have been slapped with a 10-year jail term each after being found guilty.
Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa yesterday sentenced Christabel Muringami and Tabeth Chenyika to 10 years each after full trial.
In the ruling, Gofa said there were no special circumstances warranting deviation from the mandatory 10-year imprisonment imposed by Zimbabwe’s statutory law dealing with cases of human trafficking.
Gofa further ruled that the State had proved beyond reasonable doubt the essential elements of the case.
Prosecutor Heather Muokoto told the court that sometime in January this year, Muringami, who was pregnant, hatched a plan to traffic her child soon after birth.
She allegedly advertised on a Facebook page called Adoption that she was about to deliver and invited anyone interested in the baby to contact her.
Muringami allegedly linked up with Chenyika and the two conspired to traffic the child.
On February 10, Muringami is said to have travelled from Bulawayo to Harare and registered the pregnancy at Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Wing at the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
She gave birth to a baby girl on February 25 and was discharged on February 28.
The two met in Letombo, where Muringami gave her baby to Chenyika in an unauthorised adoption.
Muringami was arrested following a tip-off to the police that she had delivered and disposed of the baby.
She implicated Chenyika who was arrested in Dzivarasekwa.
The baby was placed in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare.
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