The Katutura Magistrate’s Court has scheduled the trial hearing of a teenage girl who was arrested for allegedly dumping her dead infant last year after giving birth.
Magistrate Uutjao Uanivi scheduled the trial of Feliscia Ndevapewa Ruben (19) to take place on 6 May 2021.
This follows after the state informed the court that they are not ready to proceed with the matter on Tuesday as scheduled.
Ruben was arrested on 7 June 2019 after she gave birth and allegedly dumped her infant. According to police reports at the time, Ruben gave birth alone in their shack and dumped the baby a few metres in front of the house.
It is suspected the baby hit its head on the floor during birth and died. The teenager allegedly gave birth by herself after her uncle went to work and her siblings to school. It is further alleged Ruben, after giving birth, soaked the bloody blanket in water outside the shack in the process of cleaning the room.
The teenage girl arrived in Namibia from Onehoni village in Angola at the end of May last year.
On the day of the incident, the police had to whisk the girl away from an angry mob that wanted to lynch her for having dumped her infant.
The mob wanted to break into the shack in which the girl was hiding for her safety. Thus, the prosecution is charging Ruben with a count of concealment of birth.
She is on bail of N$1 000, which the court extended on warning until her scheduled appearance in court.
– mamakali@nepc.com.na