Killers slice baby from pregnant woman's womb

Police have arrested two women on suspicion of killing of their pregnant neighbour and tearing her baby from her womb in a remote village in western Tanzania, a regional police chief said today.

Prosecutors will file murder charges on Monday against the women, who allegedly paid other killers 60p to help them steal the baby that was later claimed by one of the women as her own on November 25, Kigoma Regional Police Commander Boniface Mgongolwa said.

One of the suspects had failed to conceive and stole the baby from the victim in an effort to save her marriage, Mgongolwa said from Kigoma, a town on the shores of Africa’s Lake Tanganyika.

The suspect pretended to be pregnant by stuffing a small pillow and clothing underneath her dress. She later lured the victim to a farm, where the hired killers lay in wait, he said.

“The suspects, with help of other killers, blocked her mouth with a piece of cloth and suffocated her,” before slicing open the womb using a sharp razor and pulling out the baby, Mgongolwa said.

The infant is being treated at the regional hospital and is reportedly in good condition.

Police arrested the suspects after the victim’s husband reported that his wife was missing on November 27. The body was discovered buried at a farm three days later. Police questioning of neighbours later led investigators to the suspects, Mgongolwa said.

The two women have confessed to the killing and are expected to appear in court Monday where they will be charged with murder, he said. If convicted, they could be sentenced to death.