MULENGA MUSONDA writes
A 32-YEAR-OLD woman narrated before the NakondeMagistrates Court how she discovered a baby dumped on her verandah.
Mercy Chiposo told Resident Magistrate George Banda that she was so horrified to find a helpless baby wrapped in a blanket with a bottle of Tablets dumped on her doorstep crying.
Chiposo was testifying in a matter in which Winnie Kambole, 36, has been dragged to Court charged with Child Desertion contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
Allegations are that Kambole a businesswoman of Mukomavillage, being a guardian to a child unable to feed or maintain herself, willfully left her with no means of support.
The alleged incident happened on 22 July 2020 in Nakondedistrict.
When the matter came up for trial before Court, the State called two witnesses who gave evidence on oath.
The first witness, Chiposo testified that on the date in question she was in the house before dusk when her daughter went out and started shouting that she should go and see what she had found.
“I followed my daughter and only to find a baby dumped on the verandah doorstep crying and she had swollen eyes,” Chiposo said.
She testified that she called her neighbour Leah Kimetule to witness what had happened.
“My neighbour prayed for the child before lifting her, a bottle of Tablets dropped in the process from the child’s blanket,” she testified.
She said the matter was reported to the Village Headman, Police and finally the Hospital where the child was admitted on suspicion of being malnourished.
The matter was adjourned to August 24 for continued trial, Kambole was remanded in custody
