By Mike Rwothomio
West Nile: Shamin Daizy Akello, a 22-year-old woman from Bedkuwengi Cell, Oturgang Ward, Paidha Town Council, Zombo District survived being lynched by angry residents after she reportedly aborted a two-month-old child and faked a pregnancy for nearly Six months.
According to Wilson Oaikani, the General Secretary of Local Council 1 Bedkuwedu cell, who is also the Chairperson Health Unit Management Committee for Paidha Health Centre III, Akello who used to look pregnant claimed that she was experiencing labour pain and was taken to Paidha Health Centre III.
“From there, nurses wanted to work on her but she refused to be touched and was immediately referred to Nyapea Hospital where she also refused doctors to touch her belly yet she was claiming to be experiencing labour pain. After serious examination, the suspicious medical workers discovered that the lady was wrapping pieces of clothing in her belly. She was brought back home to Paidha town where angry residents from her village ganged up to attack her but was protected by local leaders,” he said.
He added that upon interrogation, the lady revealed that she conceived in April but procured an abortion in June this year through the help of a traditional birth attendant in Nebbi Municipality.
“The lady was here with her husband and we thought she was pregnant, on Surtaday, she claimed she was experiencing labour pain and when she was rushed to Paidha Health Centre III, she refused nurses to touch her and they referred her to Nyapea Hospital where she also repeated the same thing,” Oaikani told this Publication whilst at Paidha Central Police Station where they had brought the lady for protection from the charged mob.
David Mungujakisa the Shocked husband said the wife wouldn’t allow him conjugal rights but he used to take it easy.
“I got married to the lady in February this year and it’s true my wife was expecting. For the past six months since she conceived, she wouldn’t allow me to touch her and I was ok with it thinking everything was okay,” he said.
Charles Kizza, the village youth chairperson explained that their intervention saved the suspect life from the charged residents.
“Had it not been for our intervention, a highly charged mob would have killed that woman because what she did was totally wrong. But I also wonder how a man can stay with a lady faking pregnancy for such a long period of time,” Kizza noted.
The assistant community development officer for Paidha Town Council Christopher Nyodober told this publication whilst at Paidha central police station that the evidence he saw pinned the suspect.
“Truly that lady faked pregnancy because whilst picking her up with police, all the evidence of her pieces of clothes was clear. She is inside there recording a statement with police together with the husband,” Nyodober said.
By press time, police were recording statements from the woman, her husband and village leaders at Paidha central police station.
Recent abortion cases.
In a related incident, a lady was early this year arrested in Nyapea Sub-county and paraded to Nyapea Police Post after she reportedly procured an abortion and was faking pregnancy to solicit money for upkeep from the husband who was then staying in Kampala city.
Last year in Pakadha Parish Abanga sub-county, A pupil of Pakadha Primary School succumbed to abortion after her friends reportedly deceived her into taking a local concoction to procure an abortion.
Last month, a lady died in Paidha Town Council after reportedly procuring an abortion.
What the law says
The Penal Code of 1950 states in Section 141, “Attempts to procure abortion. Any person who, with intent to procure the miscarriage of a woman whether she is or is not with child, unlawfully administers to her or causes her to take any poison or other noxious thing, or uses any force of any kind, or uses any other means, commits a felony and is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years.