Police holds woman over baby theft

Police in Kitgum district are holding Judith Adong, a 27-year-old woman hailing from Padibe Town Council, Lamwo district over allegation of stealing a three-day old baby from hospital.

Police and Kitgum Hospital sources confirmed to New Vision today that Adong was arrested yesterday at the home of an unidentified old man in East Ward ‘A', a town suburb. She had stolen the baby earlier the same day. "We have arrested her and she is now in our custody here (Central Police Station)," the district police commander, Jackson Bariyampika, said.

She reportedly admitted stealing the baby, saying she intended to nurse her since she is unable to bear her own child. The baby girl was rescued from her and immediately reunited with her mother, Kevin Alanyo, 30, a resident of Acholi-bur sub-county in Pader district.  According to the hospital's acting medical superintendent, Dr. Geoffrey Akena, Alanyo delivered through caesarean birth on July 24th, and was still recovering in the maternity ward when her baby was stolen.

 The nursing mother's attendant is said to have been a girl about 12 years of age, Dr. Akena said the suspect duped the attendant before stealing the baby. She reportedly sat on the bed after Alanyo had gone to dress her wounds and planned her move.

Dr. Akena said the suspect managed to convince the attendant to go and buy foodstuff in the main town market, from where she disappeared from the girl.

 East Ward ‘B' LC1 chairman, Alfred Omara told the New Vision they immediately sent out an announcement on several local radios describing the suspect and alerting the general public to report her whereabouts to authorities. "She (Adong) also heard the announcements so she was scared of moving about.  She went and sat in the home of a certain old man who later alerted us because he had also heard the radio announcement," Omara said.