Oshakati
A policewoman stationed at Opuwo Police Station appeared in the Oshakati Magistrate’s Court yesterday for allegedly aborting her pregnancy.
Constable Albertina Hamukwaya, 29, was arrested on March 19 at Oshakati Hospital after medical staff suspected she had aborted her foetus. The suspicion came after doctors discovered pieces of sticks inserted in her private parts. It is alleged Hamukwaya, who is stationed at Opuwo at the Internal Investigation Unit, went to a private doctor in Opuwo for an unspecified illness.
The following day she travelled from Opuwo to Oshakati State Hospital, which is over 200km away to seek medical attention.When she arrived at the hospital, she was bleeding.
“She complained of excruciating pain and excessive bleeding. Suspicions then arose, as the suspect was pregnant, that she may have attempted an abortion,” explained Inspector Matheus Slogan of the Namibia Police.
Sources at the hospital claim that initially Hamukwaya was rude towards nurses and at some point she made some verbal threats and refused to tell them what was wrong with her. This created suspicion among the nurses who also noticed that she looked pregnant and might have attempted an abortion. She only came clean after a while when she could no longer take the pain – it is alleged. She was then rushed to the theatre where medical examination led to the removal of the two sticks. Doctors also managed to remove the remaining parts of the foetus. Hamukwaya allegedly aborted her baby just a few days after she had completed a four-weeks police investigation course at Ruben Danger Ashipala Police Training Centre.
Makaba Simasiku granted her bail of N$1 000 and the case was postponed to May 9.