A 25 year old woman has been arrested in Mangochi on suspicion that she concealed birth of a child.

The suspect identified as Bettie Dutonya from Chiwaya village in the area of Traditional Authority Chowe in the district, was alleged to have been arrested by the police on Sunday after receiving a tip from the communities that she was heavily pregnant and delivered but people could not see the child.

Mangochi Police Station Public Relations Officer, Inspector Rodrick Maida confirms the arrest to the Malawi News Agency. “Bettie was pregnant though not married and after given birth, she decided to abandon the newly born baby in a toilet”, Maida said. He continued that “the community actually brought the culprit to the police on an allegation of concealing birth, leading to the arrest.”

 The suspect, according to Maida, will appear before the court soon in answering to a charge of concealing birth, an offence punishable under the Malawi’s law with a maximum sentence of two years plus hard labour, once a person is found liable and convicted of the crime.