Woman steals baby in SA, arrested in Zimbabwe

A CHITUNGWIZA woman allegedly stole a baby in Pretoria, South Africa where she was employed as a maid before misleading her Zimbabwean based boyfriend that she had just given birth.

Sarudzai Mutingondo, 33, was nabbed by police in Chitungwiza's St Marys on Saturday and is currently in police cells as she waits to appear in court on Monday.

According to a source, Sarudzai stole the baby in October 2016 in Pretoria before escaping back to Zimbabwe where she lied to her boyfriend that she had given birth while in South Africa. The baby's real mother is believed to be a Zimbabwean from Masvingo.

Sarudzai is said to have been pregnant when she left Zimbabwe for South Africa last year but had a miscarriage, which she presumably didn't inform the boyfriend about.

The 33-year-old is said to had got a job in Pretoria where she worked as a maid and when her employer allegedly left her with the baby, she took advantage and escaped with the baby to Zimbabwe.

Sources suspect that the baby is about 10-months-old as Sarudzai does not know the exact age of the child.

"Sarudzai was left with the baby by her employer in Pretoria before she stole the baby and escaped back to Zimbabwe. She brought the baby to her boyfriend and they have been living with the baby as theirs since October.

"It was just recently when we heard that she was on the run in South Africa for stealing the baby. She was picked by police on Saturday," a source told H-Metro.

Sources added that Sarudzai had been handed over to the Harare Central Police's Law and Order from Chitungwiza and she is set to appear in court.