23rd September 2023.
KAMPALA, Uganda – A heartwarming reunion unfolded at the High Court premises in Kampala as a four-month-old baby was joyously reunited with his biological parents, Saloome Aturinde and Bridgers Alinda Mugenyi, following a successful DNA test. The emotional moment marked the end of a distressing period during which the baby had been detained at birth due to unpaid hospital bills amounting to Shs4 million.
High Court Judge Esta Nambayo presided over the handover, officially reuniting the family. The moment was particularly touching as it came after weeks of uncertainty and legal battles.
In a ruling on August 30, the High Court had ordered RosWell Women and Children Hospital to bear the costs of a DNA test. This decision was made “in the interest of justice for keeping the newborn baby away from its mother for months.” The hospital readily complied, paying Shs 750,000 for the crucial DNA test.
The results of the DNA test, conducted at the Government Analytical Laboratory (GAL), brought tears of relief and joy to the parents. GAL senior analyst Musa Kirya, who presented the findings in court, explained that the tests yielded two definitive conclusions. The first analysis overwhelmingly supported the claim that Mugenyi was the biological father, while the second one confirmed Aturinde as the biological mother.
The ordeal began when RosWell Women and Children Hospital allegedly detained the baby as collateral security for unpaid medical bills. The child was subsequently placed under foster care at Loving Hearts Babies Home, with the hospital reporting a case of baby abandonment at Central Police Station-Kampala.
In their plea to the court, the parents sought a declaration against the private hospital, asserting that the hospital’s actions had been inhumane and cruel. Furthermore, the parents contended that the hospital had no right to demand payment for medical bills during the period when the baby was held in illegal detention, arguing that to do so would be to condone illegality.
The case, which has gripped the hearts of many, is set to continue, with the trial judge adjourning proceedings to October 17 for cross-examination of both the applicants and the respondents.
