Mother dumps baby in toilet for fear of SA-based hubby

A mother of two in Balaka district south east of Malawi is expected to answer a case of concealing the birth of the child after she allegedly dumped her newly born baby girl into a pit latrine.

Police says the suspect Mercy Ali of 26 years of age gave birth to a baby girl on the night of 30thApril, 2016 and then dumped her into a pit latrine.

“The incident came to light after the neighbour to the suspect Mr Andrew Kalima heard a baby crying from the toilet when he went to answer a call of nature; and this made him to alert his neighbors and after confirming that it was really a baby, they called the Police who rushed to scene and managed to take out the baby alive with the help from the community,” says police spokesperson inspector Joseph Sauka.

They then took the baby to Balaka District Hospital for treatment and safe custody.

Sunday morning, Police revisited the scene of crime and made a conclusion that the suspect did not come from a far and this made them to pick Mercy Ali for questioning.

Upon interview, Mercy confessed to have committed the offence saying that she did this for fear of her husband who is in South Africa.

She said her husband went to the Republic of South Africa in 2012 and seeing that he has taken long, she fell in love with another man who impregnated her.

Mercy  said no one and not even her neighbours knew that she was pregnant and that she gave birth in her house and later dumped the baby into a pit latrine to die.

Meanwhile, the suspect Mercy Ali is on Police bail and is admitted to Balaka District Hospital where she is taking care of her child and is expected to appear before court soon where she will answer a case of concealing the birth of a child which is contrary to section 232 of the Penal code.

Mercy Ali comes from Sosala village, in the area of Senior Chief Msamala in the same district of Balaka but was residing at Mangerengere location within Balaka Township.

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