By Flavia Ajok
Police in Hoima City have taken into custody a woman accused of kidnapping a 4-month-old baby boy. The suspect, identified as Ester Nantale,19, resides in Kiryatete, a suburb of Hoima city. It is alleged that she abducted the child from Hoima Regional Referral Hospital on September 7.
The minor in question is the son of Mary Katusiime, an employee at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital. On September 7, 2023, Katusiime arrived for her work shift at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital. While fulfilling her duties as a cleaner, she placed her child in one of the hospital wards.
Upon her return, Katusiime found the child missing and alerted the hospital management, prompting them to file a complaint at Hoima city central police station.
In collaboration, the hospital administration and the local police have diligently pursued the suspect and the missing baby.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson, disclosed that the flying squad unit successfully located and apprehended the suspect in Kiryatete, where she had hidden the stolen baby. Hakiza further confirmed that the baby is in good health and has been reunited with his relieved mother.
Katusiime expressed her profound appreciation for the tireless efforts made by the police to reunite her with her baby, stating that her hope had waned during the distressing episode. This incident is not the first of its kind in the region. In June 2020, Hoima police arrested a woman for the theft of a 1-year-old baby.
The suspect was identified as Rehema Niwandinda, a resident of Lukasa Upper Cell in Hoima City.
She allegedly stole the baby from Lukasa and disappeared with her to an unknown destination. Â The child belonged to Brucilla Nabwami and Samuel Mpanimanya, both residents of Ishaka Kijungu in the Kahoora division of Hoima town. The minor was with her grandmother, Amina Tibasiima when she was stolen.
In May 2022, police in Masindi arrested a 16-year-old girl for allegedly stealing a three-day-old baby girl. The suspect whose names were then concealed by police because she was a minor, was a resident of Nyabyeya village, Budongo sub-county, Masindi district. A team of flying squad investigators tracked down and arrested the suspect in Nyabyeya village in Budongo sub-county.
