Police Bust Harare Baby-trafficking Syndicate

Lloyd Ndemo

Police in Harare have arrested a Harare woman from Epworth after she was caught walking off from a clinic with a baby believed to have been stolen.

In a video captured by suspected clinic personnel, the suspect, who identified herself as Josy Kanzimbe, confessed to stealing babies in and around Harare on behalf of a ring leader whom she said stays in Epworth and has links to South Africa where babies will be drugged and killed for unknown reasons.

Zimbabwe Republic Police national spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest and condemned the kidnaping and killing of children.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of Josie Kanzimbe (28), whose video has gone viral on social media, in connection with a case of kidnapping of a newly born baby at Epworth Local Board Clinic, Harare.”

The suspect, Josie Kanzimbe also said they are paid with vehicles for stealing babies.

According to police and hospital sources, the suspect disguised herself as a clinic staff and dressed herself in nursing gowns before snatching the baby from a maternity wing. However, she was subsequently caught by alert clinic staff.

“The suspect sneaked into the maternity ward, took advantage of the mother of the baby who was fast asleep due to labour fatigue and took away the baby. Alert security personnel smelled a rat in her actions and reacted fast, leading to the suspect’s arrest.”

Recently the Zimbabwe Republic Police working with Interpol rescued a Zimbabwean baby in South Africa who was stolen from Harare’s Southlands suburb in January this year.

National police spokesperson assistant commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that the suspect will appear in court soon.