How newly-born female twin was stolen at Koboko hospital

Koboko, (UG):- The Territorial Police in West Nile Region and Koboko Central Police Station are actively investigating a case of theft in which a newly born female twin delivered via caesarean section went missing at Koboko General Hospital.

The incident according to police spokesperson SCP Fred Enanga occurred on the 29th of March, 2024 at around 8 pm, and the matter was reported to police five days later, on April 03, 2024.

According to Mr Enanga, facts gathered indicate that the female twin baby was stolen when the mother, Ms Baifa Afekum, 32, a resident of Maracha Town Council was still in the theatre.

“The facts gathered indicate that on the 21st March 2024 at around 9:40 am, a one Afekum Baifa, gave birth by caesarian to twins, a boy and a girl, and she was being helped by Chandiru Beatrice, a 47-year-old peasant of Drimu cell, Godia Ward in Koboko Municipality. While she was asleep, her helper was called by Drateru Jelly, a midwife, to escort her to the placenta pit and pour urine and the discarded placenta. Upon her return, she found when the female twin was missing,” Mr Enanga revealed while addressing the media at Police Headquarters in Naguru on Monday.

“A search was conducted in the Hospital in vain and the neighbourhood, till the 3rd of April 2024, when the father of the parents of the victim Asiku Richard, a 43-year-old, peasant of Atongoro cell, Maracha Town Council and his wife Afekum Baifa, a 32-year-old, reported the matter to police,” he added.

Mr Enanga said police have since arrested eleven suspects, most of whom are hospital staff and from the midwifery department to help with ongoing investigations,

“…These include; Lamiru Lois, aged 50, the midwife in charge of Maternity, Muzaki Caroline, aged 28, a midwife, Ada James, aged 53, a security guard, Dricilu Esther, aged 33, Deputy in-charge security, Drate Simon Adronga, aged 52, a Medical Doctor, Leila Zamzam, aged 30, a businesswoman, Drateru Herry, aged 47, a midwife, Ayoka Hamid, aged 44m a security guard, Abiriga Augusto Alionzi, aged 42, a Hospital Admin, Mungunira Jimmy, aged 47, a Medical Doctor and Chandiru Beatrice, a 47-year housewife and helper,” Enanga stated, adding that the case file containing their recorded statements has been submitted to the RSA-Koboko for perusal and legal guidance.

Hospital Speaks out

Koboko Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Jimmy Mungunira, when contacted for a comment on the incident said: “Because it was a multiple pregnancy (twin pregnancy), they presented her in the theatre for operation at around 6 pm. When the operation was done, the midwife received the twins and presented them to the mother in the theatre.”

“…then later she (midwife) took the babies to the ward with the attendant and told the attendant to wait where the babies were. After that, she went back to the theatre where the mother was and brought the mother to the ward,” he added.

Police emphasized that efforts are in place to trace and recover the stolen baby, and have since cautioned new mothers to be wary of strangers, some of whom are thieves, targeting their babies.

“We would also like to remind Hospital Managers, to strengthen measures at Maternity Wards, that protect new mothers and their children,” read a police statement by Mr Enanga.