A 23-year-old woman, who is a Security guard in Gaborone, left her infant child at Princess Marina Hospital just two days after giving birth.
Central Police Station Commander, Superintendent Takongwa Mazwidima, told Sunday Standard this Friday that on May 19, 2006 the young woman was admitted at Marina Hospital and gave birth but on May 21, 2006 she dumped her son at the Hospital and disappeared.
In an interview with the Sunday Standard, Superintendent Mazwidima said the woman was arrested on August 25 2006 after a long hunt. He said the accused’s son is still under the watchful eyes of social workers at Princess Marina Hospital.
The accused, Gaontebale Malele, 23, from Kanye, was arraigned before the Urban Customary Court Deputy President, Kgosi Kgosimotse Sebele, on Wednesday and was charged with child neglect. She pleaded guilty to the charges.
Before passing the sentence, Kgosi Sebele told the court that what the accused did is very cruel and said if the child is one day told that he was once dumped by his mother at the hospital, he would never forgive her.
In mitigation, Malele asked the court not to send her to prison because she wanted to take care of the same son she had dumped. She told the court that she would also lose her job as a security guard.
Kgosi Sebele sentenced her to six months in jail, wholly suspended for two years but promised a stiff punishment next time.
