Woman arrested over theft of baby
What you need to know:
Confirmation. Mr Joel Tubanone, the Lira District Police Commander, confirmed the incident on Monday, saying they are to record the suspect’s statement.
“It is true we are holding a woman here for trafficking a toddler. We are yet to ascertain her true details,” Mr Tubanone said.
- Recovery of the baby. Ms Akullu after her arrest made a telephone call to one of her friends in Senior Quarters in Lira Town to bring the baby.
“She was hiding the baby with that friend who brought it to the station at 8pm,” one of the police officer said.
A woman is being held at Lira Police Station for allegedly stealing a three-day-old twin baby.
Ms Sharon Akullu was arrested by police on Sunday evening from Unity FM studios, a local radio in Lira Town after she went to clarify about the missing child.
The baby, Ms Akullu allegedly stole, was delivered at Abim Hospital last Thursday by Ms Dorcus Clara Auma, a resident of Ating North village, Abim Town Council.
Sources say Ms Akullu disguised as a social worker of a local non-governmental organisation in Lira and pledged to offer humanitarian support to the family.
It is alleged that the suspect disguised herself as Brenda Apio. The couple trusted her after she introduced herself to Mr Peter Omara, the LCI chairperson of Ating North, revealing her wish to support the family.
However, Ms Akullu allegedly vanished with one of the twins on Sunday afternoon after she asked the parents of the twins to go to Lira Market and get food, clothing and other materials for the babies.
According to Mr Emmanuel Otee, Ms Auma’s husband, Ms Akullu took them for lunch behind Lira Bus Park but the boda boda carrying her and one of the twins did not reach the main market, where they were meant to buy clothes.
“We arrived at the market but could not see her after an hour. We immediately got suspicious,” Mr Otee narrated
“I called Mr Omara who sent me her number but it was switched off. It was at that point when we realised that the number was registered in Sharon Akullu’s name. We immediately rushed to the radio,” he added.
Repeated mention of Akullu’s name on radio programmes prompted her to come out two hours later to make clarification upon which she was arrested.
