THE Lusaka maid who recently disappeared with her employer’s six-month-old baby but was later apprehended in Kitwe has been charged with child stealing and will appear in court soon. On December 14 this year, a Lusaka family of New Kasama area was left traumatised after a living-in maid disappeared with their son to a nearby shop and never returned.

While the child’s parents were briefly away around 16:00 hours, Rachael Banda, 22, got baby Luyando Mwanza and told a visiting maid that she was going to a nearby tuckshop and would return soon. Earlier that day, Luyando was with his mother, Brenda Hakanema, and other family members at a birthday party in Woodlands Extension.

While at the party, Ms Hakanema released Ms Banda and a visiting maid to go back home with Luyando. As the party was about to end after 17:00 hours, she phoned the visiting maid and asked her to start preparing supper. It was at this point that she was informed that Ms Banda went to a tuckshop with the baby and never returned. On Monday last week, Rachael was apprehended in Kitwe by alert traders at Chisokone Market as she went from one restaurant to another asking for food for the baby.

The traders were able to identify Ms Mwanza after comparing her with pictures of her and the baby which had been earlier shared on social media. The baby was reunited with its parents and Ms Mwanza was moved back to Lusaka for further investigations into her actions. Giving an update, Police spokesperson Esther Katongo said in an interview yesterday that Ms Mwanza has been charged with child stealing and will appear in court soon. “She was charged with child stealing and the NPA (National Prosecutions Authority) will communicate when she will be taken to court,” Ms Katongo said. And Luyando’s mother is happy that Ms Mwanza has been charged.

“I really want to hear her explain why she did what she did in court because I am still traumatised,” Ms Hakanema said. She is, however, excited to spend Christmas with her baby. “Luyando is very fine and I still look at him in disbelief that he was found,” she said. Mrs Hakanema urged mothers to be extra careful when employing maids by ensuring that they collect all the necessary personal information about a helper. “Right now, I am not thinking of getting a maid. I leave