The Lilongwe Police on Thursday arrested a 17 year old girl for faking pregnancy to please her boyfriend who pressurized her to have a baby.

According to Salomy Zgambo, the public relations officer for the station, the girl was arrested after she was caught by Area 18 residents who accused her of planning to steal a baby at a local health centre.

According to Zgambo,the girl on Thursday morning visited Area 18 Health Centre for antenatal checkup. When time came for physical checkup, she attempted to escape.

“Nurses examining her got suspicious and then called for help. The suspect, had however managed to overpower the nurses and escaped. By the time other health workers came, she was already outside the hospital premises,” said Zgambo.

People who were outside the hospital premises brought her back into the hospital where it was discovered she had wrappers and clothes under her gown dress.

The girl was later taken to police where another urine pregnancy test was conducted in presence of police and medical personnel and the result came out negative.

Zgambo added that the suspect told police that she had feigned the pregnancy because her boyfriend had been pressuring her for a baby.

“When her mother was later called by police, she said she was also always suspicious about her daughter’s pregnancy because each time she asked her daughter to inspect the pregnancy, she would refuse,” said Zgambo.

The girl is expected to appear before court soon to answer the charge of giving false information to a public officer.