Mama wa watoto 7 afa akitoa mimba, daktari kizimbani

A clinical officer working for government’s Ntchisi District Hospital is in police custody answering to murder charges for allegedly causing the death of his girlfriend through abortion.

The clinician, Kwaule Raffat Tembo, is suspected to have administered an abortion on her girlfriend, Reginat Nkhoma, that led to her death.

According to the deceased relations, Reginat and Tembo had been in an established relationship and at the time of her death the woman was five months pregnant by him.

The two, who were planning to marry, also had a child together. But the woman already had six other children from her previous marriages.

The relative said on the day of the death, Nkhoma went to the hospital in the company of her elder sister.

“When Reginat went inside the hospital premises to meet Tembo, the sister remained outside but she was surprised when after sometime Tembo called her to rush inside the hospital claiming her sister was seriously ill.

“We believe they were trying to get rid of the pregnancy but we wonder why since they were planning to marry,” bemoaned Anna Nthenda, an aunt to the deceased adding that her niece died while in Tembo’s room.

On that day, Nthenda claimed, Tembo was reportedly not on duty but managed to get pull a stretcher which he used to take her girlfriend’s body from his room to female ward where nurses on duty confirmed her death.

Meanwhile, relatives are seeking justice from police on the matter after staff members at the Ntchisi Hospital reportedly advised them to speed up burial arrangements before investigations were concluded.

“We want the police to help us establish the truth on the matter so that justice takes its course,” a brother to the deceased Village Headman Jabesi said.

And Tuesday this week, Tembo appeared before the Ntchisi First Grade Magistrate Alex Kantiki to answer the charges where he pleaded not guilty.

His request to be granted bail was also turned down by the Magistrate Kantiki saying the decision would be made by the High Court which will continue hearing the case where Tembo is expected to present his defense.

In Malawi, abortion is illegal and Section 149 of the Penal Code condemns any person who administers it to 14 years imprisonment while Section 156 states that any woman who solicits an abortion is liable to seven years in prison.

Nyasa times