Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
A baby-selling scandal has shaken Zimbabwe after Pauline Maganga, a 20-year-old woman serving a 10-year jail term for human trafficking, testified against her alleged accomplice Janet Marimo in court.
Maganga’s testimony exposed an online operation involving women from Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the United States who pose as adoption agencies to coerce vulnerable mothers into selling their babies.
Maganga joined a group called Child Adoption in March 2023, administered by Marimo, where she shared her pregnancy struggles and financial instability. Marimo offered to help with medical costs, warning Maganga that other group members might take her child for organ donation. This manipulation led Maganga to agree to pay Marimo ZAR25,000 to adopt her child.
The court heard that Maganga gave birth on June 27, 2023, at Far East Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. Marimo covered some hospital bills but failed to obtain documents for the child in Zimbabwe, leading to the smuggling of the undocumented infant through an illegal port of entry.
This case highlights the darker side of the surrogacy industry, where women are exploited and babies are treated as commodities. According to Mara Ricoy Olariaga, a birth educator and activist, “the womb rental involved in surrogacy can never be ‘regulated’ into acceptability. Abolition is the only humane approach for women and babies”.
The practice of child-selling is not new, with historical records showing its existence in various forms. In some cases, children were sold into slavery or forced labor, while in others, they were sold to families seeking adoption.
Key Points in the Case:
- Pauline Maganga’s Testimony: Exposed an online operation involving women from Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the United States posing as adoption agencies.
- Manipulation and Exploitation: Marimo manipulated Maganga into paying ZAR25,000 to adopt her child.
- Illegal Activities: Marimo failed to obtain documents for the child in Zimbabwe and smuggled the infant through an illegal port of entry.
- Global Issue: Child-selling and exploitation are widespread, with historical records showing its existence in various forms.
The case continues next week, shedding light on the need for stricter regulations and awareness about the exploitation of vulnerable mothers and children.
Zim GBC News©2024