Residents storm nurses home, take baby to mum visiting boyfriend
MLIBA – What was meant to be a night out with male nurse friend ended abruptly for a woman when some residents stormed a hospital nurses home looking for her.
*Lebo, who is said to be a resident of one of the communities in the northern Hhohho, allegedly left her 11-month old baby alone, sleeping inside a flat she rented and headed off about 31 kilometres from Sidvokodvo Health Centre.
It is alleged she went to meet a nurse, whom the residents alleged was her boyfriend. This is said to have happened last Wednesday.
It was alleged, Lebo left the baby assuming that he would sleep through the night while she was away.
However, the baby began to cry at around 10pm. This is said to have caused concerned among some of the residents, who are her neighbours as the baby continued crying non-stop.
That is when they went to knock on Lebo’s door to check if all was well, only to discover that the baby was alone inside the flat.
*Mncedisi, one of the residents, said the community was angry and decided to group up so that they could take the baby to where the mother was.
He said they were also shocked to learn that the house was not locked. “It was as if she had planned to return quickly but this was not the case,” he said.
He said they then looked for the man whom they knew to be the biological father of the child but he also did not know where the mother of his child was.
Upon some investigation, it was discovered that Lebo had travelled to Sidvokodvo Health Centre to meet a male friend, who is said to be a nurse at the hospital.
Mncedisi said they carried the baby and headed off to the health center.
GUARDS
“Upon arrival there, we discovered that she was at the health centre. However, the security guards at the health centre were alerted of our presence and tried to stop us from entering the premises.
“Since we were quite a large number, a commotion ensued resulting in police officers from Mliba being called,” narrated Mncedisi.
The police officers arrived and advised that they should all go to Mliba Police Station so that the matter could be resolved there calmly.
Upon arrival at the police station, some of the residents were warned that their actions could get them arrested.
This did not go down well with some of the residents, who told the police that they should instead arrest the mother who had abandoned a baby at night.
Mncedisi said he was also threatened of being arrested but he questioned the police if they would also arrest the mother for endangering the life of her child, who had been left alone. “What if the house caught fire?” he asked.
The residents were eventually advised to go back to their respective homes and no one was arrested.
FEAR
Lebo is alleged to have remained at the police station for fear of her safety.
Meanwhile, an attempt was made to reach the Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati.
She said she would check with Mliba Police Station. When she was called later, she could not be reached again on her cellphone.