A three-month-old baby girl who was allegedly stolen from her mother in Lusaka’s City Market area has been found and reunited with her mother following police investigations, the Zambia Police Service has confirmed.
In a statement issued on Monday, October 12, 2026, Deputy Police Public Relations Officer Chipo Kaitisha said the infant had been located in the Kabangwe area of Lusaka, where police also identified two suspects in connection with the alleged incident.
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According to police, the incident occurred on October 9, when the baby’s mother, Beatrice Lengalenga, a resident of Katondo in Kabwe District, was allegedly lured to Lusaka by an unidentified woman who purported to offer her employment.
After arriving in the City Market area, Lengalenga reportedly went to a salon with the woman to have her hair done.
While she was receiving the service, the woman allegedly offered to hold and look after the baby before fleeing with the child without the mother’s consent.
Police said they immediately launched investigations after receiving the report, using intelligence-gathering techniques to establish the whereabouts of the suspect and the missing infant.
The investigations led officers to a possible location in Kabangwe, where they located two suspects identified as Clara Mumba, 23, of the 20 Miles area, and Gift Chileshe, 30, of the 6 Miles area, both in Lusaka.
Police further reported that the suspects allegedly resisted arrest when officers approached their residence.
Mumba was reportedly armed with a kitchen knife, which she allegedly threw at the officers, while Chileshe attempted to flee.
According to the police statement, officers initially discharged warning shots, but the suspects reportedly remained uncooperative.
Police subsequently fired two rounds, striking the suspects in their legs and injuring them.
The two suspects were taken to the University Teaching Hospital, where they are receiving medical treatment and are reported to be in stable condition.
The infant was also taken to the University Teaching Hospital for medical attention after being reunited with her mother.
The Zambia Police Service said investigations into the matter are continuing, adding that further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
The case highlights the importance of exercising caution when responding to unsolicited employment offers, particularly when travelling to unfamiliar places or meeting people whose identities and intentions have not been verified.
For now, the infant’s recovery and reunion with her mother mark a significant development in a case that began with the reported disappearance of a three-month-old child in Lusaka.
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