Police in Gicumbi District have arrested and detained a 22-year-old woman accused of stealing a newborn Baby. Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Northern region Police spokesperson, said police received a complaint from the management of Byumba hospital about a case of a missing child last Saturday.
Police in Gicumbi District have arrested and detained a 22-year-old woman accused of stealing a newborn Baby.
“Investigations were immediately launched, the prime suspect was traced and found at her home in Irasaniro Village, Gaseke Cell in Mutete Sector with the child,” CIP Twizeyimana said,
The child has since been reunited with the biological mother, he said.
“Investigations show that the suspect had a still birth at the same hospital on March 31, but kept roaming around after she was discharged,” he said.
“He later reached out to the victim pretending to be a Good Samaritan; she tricked the victim to believe that she would help her take her escape from the hospital so as not to pay the medical bills. The suspect escaped with the child on a motorcycle as the mother went back to collect some few belongings they had left in the ward,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
This prompted the victim to report to hospital management, who subsequently called the Police to investigate the matter.
On her part, the suspect, told the Police that she intended to appease her husband that the child was theirs.
“I am so happy that I have found my child; I trusted a stranger just to escape hospital bills and I almost lost my child,” the victim said after she was reunited with the child.
Abduction of a child from her parents under article 224 of the Rwanda penal code, if convicted, attracts a prison term from one to three years and or a fine of up to Rwf500, 000.
