A breastfeeding mother was
kept in a Swaziland (eSwatini) police cell with her baby after she was arrested
on suspicion of possessing cannabis.
Celiwe Maduna was driving
her car alongside her three children when police stopped it. They smelt dagga
(as the drug is known locally) and found 40kg of it on the back seat. Later
they found more in the car’s trunk.
The Times of eSwatini
reported on Monday (20 July 2020) Maduna was taken to Mbabane police station
where her husband was called to take the children. It added, ‘Upon her
apprehension as a mother still breastfeeding her baby, Maduna was detained in
the police holding cells for two nights along with the baby.’
She was later sentenced to
six years in prison with the option to pay a fine of E6,000 (US$360). Of this,
two years and E2,000 were suspended.
The case is not unusual in
Swaziland where police are often criticised for the way they deal with mothers
with babies.
In February 2018 a woman and her
baby were held in a Mbabane police cell
overnight along with at least 10 other students after a protest about unpaid
allowances.
In 2003 Swaziland made
global news after five
babies aged under 12 months were kept in the Mbabane police station cells after
their mothers were remanded in custody accused of possessing illegal drugs.
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