By: Isatou Sarr
The Bundung Magistrates’ Court has sentenced one Fatoumatta Jawo to three years imprisonment at Mile 2 Central Prison after she was found guilty of stealing a 3-day-old baby girl from Fajikunda Health Centre.
Magistrate K. Bittaye, the presiding magistrate convicted Jawo after she was charged with child stealing, contrary to Section 136 (1) (a) of the Criminal Offences Act 2025.
According to sources, on 12th October 2026, a mother took her three-day-old baby to Fajikunda Health Centre for a postnatal check-up.
She reportedly asked a woman at the facility to hold the baby while she went to the laboratory. Upon her return, the woman had allegedly disappeared with the baby. Both the woman and the baby were initially reported missing.
Days later, it was reported that the baby had been found in Farato.
A woman in Farato became suspicious after seeing her neighbor, Fatoumatta Jawo, with a newborn baby. She could not recall her neighbour being pregnant or giving birth recently and then alerted the police.
Police officers questioned Jawo, who insisted she was the mother and claimed she delivered at Busumbala Health Centre. Police took her to the facility, but no record of her giving birth was found.
A subsequent medical examination reportedly confirmed that she had not given birth recently, and the baby was taken away from her.
The accused was then arraigned before Magistrate K. Bittaye of the Bundung Magistrates’ Court and charged with child stealing, contrary to Section 136 (1) (a) of the Criminal Offences Act 2025.
According to the particulars of offence, Fatoumatta Jawo, on or about the 12th day of
October 2026, at Fajikunda Health Centre in the Kanifing Municipality, with intent to deprive the parent, stole a 3-day-old baby girl.
She pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted accordingly.
Delivering judgment on 19th October 2026, the court sentenced her to three years imprisonment. The court further ordered her to pay compensation of D10,000 to the complainant or serve an additional one month in prison in default.