Woman gets 4-year jail term for killing own new-born

KHOLU NTELE
MASERU – ’Manthabeleng Rahatla, 32, who lives at Moshomong in Mokhotlong was arrested on February 3, 2021 over suspected infanticide.
Senior Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli said police reports show that on February 3, 2021 at around 6pm the suspect gave birth to a baby boy then strangled her before putting his corpse in a school bag and burying him on the banks of Mokhotlong River at Ha Hlakane. Police officers who live in Hlakane met the suspect walking in a bush area with her three-year-old daughter at around 9pm. The next day two neighbours became suspicious that Rahatla could have concealed a new born and reported to the chief who instructed all women in the same village to go to investigate what the suspect was doing at the river at night.
They found found the remains of a newborn baby in a shallow grave.
Police were called in to arrest her. The suspect appeared before court on February 10, 2021 where she was found guilty and ordered to pay a fine of M8 000 or face a four-year jail term.
She failed to pay the fine and was imprisoned.