Woman arrested for pretending to be child’s mother

A 24-year-old woman was arrested on Friday on suspicion of child trafficking after she pretended to be the mother of a child who isn’t biologically hers.

According to the police, the incident happened at the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair.

Oshana police spokesperson Inspector Frieda Shikole said it is alleged that the woman went to apply for a birth certificate for a six-year-old boy. She provided a baptism card and a letter from a village headman, claiming that she is the boy’s biological mother.

However, home affairs ministry officials became suspicious and questioned the woman why the child did not have a birth certificate, despite the ministry offering outreach programmes.

“The officials started to question the lady about the child’s godparents, but the alleged mother could not answer,” Shikole said.

She added that when the officials interviewed the child, he informed them that his mother is in Ondjiva, Angola.



Who’s son?

According to Shikole, the woman was accompanied by her 39-year-old boyfriend - the father of the child, who is reportedly a pastor - and another child, a seven-year-old boy.

The couple was questioned and the man said while the six-year-old boy is his child, the mother is not the woman who was with him.

The man reportedly said the older boy is his sister’s child, but then later changed his tune and said it is, in fact, his brother’s son, Shikole narrated.

The man has also been arrested and is due to appear in court this week.