A 37-year-old woman who allegedly assisted her daughter to terminate her pregnancy, was denied bail when she made her first appearance in the Outapi Magistrate’s Court last week.

Ileimo Onesmus saw her case being postponed to 30 November 2023 for further police investigations. 

Omusati police spokesperson Inspector Anna Kunga said it is alleged that Onesmus aided her 17-year-old daughter in terminating her one-month pregnancy. The incident happened last week at Outapi in the Omusati region.

It is further stated that when the victim was taken to hospital, the doctor discovered that the pregnancy was terminated as the victim was bleeding and had lost a lot of blood.

The daughter is currently admitted to the Outapi Hospital for medical treatment. Police investigations into the matter continue. Meanwhile, Ombalantu Traditional Authority spokesperson Angula Kanelombe has urged mothers to refrain from terminating their daughters’ pregnancies, because it’s very risky and a serious crime.

“As a mother, how do you assist your daughter to terminate a pregnancy? Mothers are embarrassing us. This should stop immediately,” he stated.

Kanelombe stressed that to terminate a pregnancy is a big crime in their traditional authority. Therefore, if a woman commits such a crime, she will be taken to a community court and given a fine.

“If a parent notices that her daughter may have been impregnated through an alleged rape, or a pregnancy denied by the boyfriend, she should seek advice from the police, doctors and social workers,” he urged.

“Abortions kill people. We lost people who died after they were trying to terminate their pregnancies. It is very dangerous,” Kanelombe said.

- fhamalwa@nepc.com.na