A 23-year-old woman from Gokwe has been found guilty of selling her baby just two days after giving birth, a Harare court heard.
The woman, whose identity has been withheld for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to charges of contravening the Trafficking in Persons Act. The sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday, 14 May.
According to reports from H-Metro, the woman initially claimed that her baby had died shortly after birth. However, it was later revealed that she had conspired with another woman to sell the infant.
Prosecutors detailed that the woman gave birth in Johannesburg, South Africa, on June 24, 2023, and sold her son to an accomplice on June 26, 2023. By October 2023, the accomplice had managed to smuggle the baby into Zimbabwe.
The plot unraveled on November 27, 2023, when the accomplice was arrested following a tip-off. The baby was then placed under the care of the Department of Social Welfare.
Upon learning of her accomplice’s arrest, the mother returned to Zimbabwe on December 12, 2023, attempting to reclaim her son. Her claim raised suspicions as she had previously reported the infant as deceased shortly after birth.
The court’s upcoming sentencing will determine the woman’s fate as the authorities continue to address the serious crime of human trafficking.
