A 36-year-old Zimbabwean woman appeared before Molepolole Magistrate Court on Tuesday facing the slightly obscure charge of concealing her child’s birth.
Police suspect Sekai Mazhonda, who was staying in Thamaga village until her arrest last week, aborted her three-month-old foetus on 21 July.
She is then said to have hidden the foetus at Borane farm in Kweneng District before proceeding to hospital, allegedly claiming to have suffered a miscarriage.
According to Thamaga Station Commander, Superintendent Moses Kwarare, the police were called to Thamaga Primary Hospital two days later, when, hours after being discharged, Mazhonda returned with the foetus.
“She was initially taken to the hospital by her brother claiming she was not fit. She got admitted from 21st July till the 23rd when she went home. She then wanted to bury the foetus at the farm and the owner refused. That is when she took it to the hospital to request for incineration,” explained Kwarare.
The accused is believed to have arrived in the country last December, visiting her boyfriend who is an employee at Borane farm.
However, the boyfriend was not in court to support Mazhonda and is rumoured to have returned to Zimbabwe last month.
In court, the prosecutor, Sub Inspector Lubonbo Lebala pleaded for Mazhonda to be remanded as she does not have a passport and is a possible flight risk.
When given the chance to speak, the suspect said she told those she stayed with to call the owner of the farm for her and he advised her to go to the hospital.
“As none of my relatives were there, I do not know how I got into the car,” stated Mazhonda, before the Magistrate interrupted her, explaining that sort of testimony must wait until trial.
Mazhonde was remanded in custody and the matter adjourned to 20 August for mention.