Lwandle police detectives have arrested three suspects for illegally performing abortions, following an incident of concealment of birth on Tuesday evening (4 September) in Nomzamo.
Police, alerted by community members, went to a house in Sithunzi Street, where the suspects were arrested.
It is alleged a 36-year-old woman, seven months pregnant, went with her friend to the house. Its owner, a foreign national, had a conversation with the women about her unwanted pregnancy, which he offered to assist her in aborting.
An eyewitness, a third individual, at the house, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the woman was given alcohol. “The men [involved in the incident] made a telephone call and abortion pills were delivered by another person. I went to the room when I heard the woman’s screams and then later the baby’s screams,” she said.
It is alleged that the pregnant woman drank the pills to induce early labour. A neighbour passing by heard the screams and alerted the police. Sergeant Mthokozisi Gama confirmed the incident and said a case of concealment of birth was opened.
“Police are still investigating and are trying to locate the body of the child.
“The three suspects, two aged 36 and 41 will appear in the Strand Magistrate’s Court on Thursday (today) morning,” added Gama.
At the beginning of this year, a 15-year-old girl, a Lwandle resident, complained of abdominal pains and the following day she died.
The post-mortem conducted revealed that she had an illegal abortion. “When women and girls want to end their pregnancies, Lwandle police request them to make use of relevant clinics to prevent the death of the mother,” urged Gama.
Police are offering a reward to the community to come forward with information that might lead to the arrest of the people selling such medication to terminate pregnancies or assisting women in illegally aborting children.