SAD: Serenje Woman Eats Own Baby

By CAROLINE KALOMBE
AN UNUSUAL craving for meat has driven a 29-year-old woman of Serenje to kill and eat her two-month-old baby boy.
Central Province deputy commissioner of police Edwin Bwanga who confirmed the incident yesterday identified the woman, who has been arrested, as Stella Mwelwa of Chief Kabamba’s area.
Mr Bwanga said in an interview from Ms Kabwe yesterday that Mwelwa beheaded her baby a week ago, cut it into pieces and cooked and ate the flesh.
She is believed to be mentally disturbed, according to some people in her community.
“The woman slaughtered her baby, cut it up and buried the intestines behind her house. She cooked some body parts and ate them,” Mr Bwanga said.
He said Mwelwa is in police custody after being apprehended by villagers.
He said Mwelwa told villagers who apprehended her that she buried the baby’s intestines in her backyard.
Mr Bwanga said Mwelwa also confessed that she ate her baby’s flesh because she cannot go out to hunt as it is against the law and that the Zambia Wildlife Authority wardens would have caught up with her.
“She said she cannot go in the bush to hunt animals and she wanted to eat meat so badly that she ate her child,” he said.
He said the villagers told the police that Mwelwa exhibits violent behaviour and is believed to have a mental problem.
Meanwhile, a man of Chief Kabamba’s area in Serenje has died after taking a poisonous local beer.
Mr Bwanga said the man has been identified as Frank Ng’uni.
He said Mr Ng’uni was invited for a drink by his friend around 21:00 hours on Saturday.
Mr Bwanga said Mr Ng’uni took the poisoned beer and he was rushed to the hospital after complaining of stomach pain.