Police in Kassanda District have launched a manhunt for a woman who allegedly posed as a medical officer and abducted a three-day-old baby from Kiganda Health Centre IV.
The incident occurred on March 15, 2026, when the suspect reportedly tricked the baby’s mother into leaving the ward by giving her Shs10,000 to purchase medicine from a nearby pharmacy.
According to police, the baby girl is the daughter of Joachim Muhindo and Ruth Nalubowa, residents of Katosi Cell in Kiganda Town Council.
The infant had been admitted to the health facility on March 12 after developing complications shortly after birth. She was initially placed in the Intensive Care Unit, where she responded well to treatment, and was later transferred to the postnatal ward on March 14 as she awaited discharge.
Police say an unidentified woman later entered the ward, pretending to be a medical officer. She reportedly moved around attending to patients and reviewing their treatment notes, raising no immediate suspicion.
Wamala Region Police spokesperson Lameck Kigozi said the suspect eventually approached the baby’s bed, picked her up, and began examining her medical notes.
“She informed the mother that the baby’s condition had deteriorated and required medication that had not yet been administered,” Kigozi said.
He added that the suspect then gave the mother Shs10,000 and instructed her to buy the alleged medication from a nearby pharmacy.
“When the mother left the ward, the suspect took advantage of her absence and fled with the baby,” he explained.
The case was reported at Kiganda Police Station, and investigations are ongoing to trace the suspect and recover the child.
Police have urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report anyone found with a newborn under suspicious circumstances, especially a woman not known to have been pregnant.
“Anyone who comes across a woman in possession of a newborn baby under suspicious circumstances—especially one not known to have been pregnant—is urged to report immediately to the nearest police station,” Kigozi said.
