The Zomba Principal Resident Magistrate’s court has sentenced a 30-year-old woman, Juliet Grivin Makauli, to three years imprisonment for stealing a five-month-old baby at Zomba Central Hospital.
Deputy Public Relations Officer for Zomba Police Station Sergeant Aaron Chilala has confirmed to Malawi24 about the conviction of a 30-year-old woman Juliet Makauli.
Sergeant Chilala has told Malawi24 that court heard through State Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Peter Njiragoma that Makauli committed the offence on October 20, 2023 at Zomba Central Hospital when she abducted a five-month-old baby girl on pretence that she wanted to feed her with porridge.
He said that Niagara further told the court that the mother of the child searched for the convict and her child but to no avail which prompted her to report the matter to the hospital authorities who later relayed the matter to Zomba Police Station.
Following this, Zomba Police detectives conducted an intensive investigation and managed to arrest Makauli on October 24, 2023 at Machinjiri area in Blantyre and recovered the stolen baby.
Appearing in court, Makauli pleaded guilty to the offence and asked the court to consider her as she is a family woman.
In his submission, State Prosecutor Njiragoma asked the court to grant a stiff punishment to the offender as her deeds brought long lasting traumatic experiences both to the mother and victim.
Passing his judgement, Principal Resident Magistrate Martin Chipofya concurred with the state submissions and went on to sentence Juliet Grivin Makauli to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour.
Makauli hails from Deleza village, Traditional Authority Mwambo in Zomba district.
