Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
THE midwife who allegedly induced the premature birth of the baby, which was later sold for US$180, suffered a setback yesterday after magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa ruled that she’s not a suitable candidate for bail.
Betty Patricia Sena, who is attached to Sally Mugabe Hospital, initially appeared in court last week and was remanded in custody to yesterday for bail considerations.
Magistrate Gofa ruled that it would not be in the interest of justice to release her pending trial because the State has established a strong case against her, which can induce her to flee from this jurisdiction.
Her accomplices – Evelyn Zisengwe and Dion Tore — were also denied bail on Monday.
The court heard that between February and March, Sena and her accomplices — Zisengwe Tore and the mother’s teenage child, connived to traffic the baby, who is now nine-months-old.
Sena induced the teenager, who was seven months pregnant at the time, so that she could prematurely deliver her child.
The girl delivered her baby girl and Sena handed the toddler to Tore nn February 25 this year at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital after she falsified documents.
The documents made it appear as if Tore had given birth.
It is the State’s case that Sena then abused her supervisory position to facilitate the unsafe discharge of the premature infant from the hospital.
Sena was paid US$20 for her services and she created a fake death record purporting that the girl had given birth and her child had passed away.
Sena was implicated by Tore and the teen mother.
Meanwhile, Zisengwe and Tore appeared before the same court and filed their bail bid.
Zisengwe pleaded with magistrate Gofa to release her on bond because she has a brain condition that causes her to collapse frequently. She further told the court she denies the allegations and said she didn’t have an intention to sell the child as alleged.
“I don’t agree with the allegations because I didn’t have the intention to sell the child, I only told my daughter not to abort her pregnancy but rather keep it and give it to someone who was struggling to have a child.
“She recently aborted another pregnancy prior to our arrest, that’s how she is,” she said.
Lancelot Mutsokoti prosecuted.
daniel chigunwe
