A registered clinical nurse and her sister, convicted on multiple charges of concealment of birth after performing illegal abortions in Gqeberha, will be sentenced this month.
They were charged with 25 counts of concealment of birth after police discovered at least 25 foetuses in a freezer on the premises, and were convicted in May in the Gqeberha Regional Court.
According to a HeraldLIVE report, Lulama Cabela and Babalwa Cabela were arrested in February 2016 after a police investigation into illegal abortions.
Lulama carried out the abortions while Babalwa acted as her receptionist. Some of the terminations were 13 weeks or longer after gestation. SA law permits abortions within the first trimester of pregnancy. They were released on bail of R5 000 each and sentencing will take place on 20 June.
HeraldLIVE article – Sisters convicted in illegal abortion case await sentencing (Restricted access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Despite legislation, barriers to legal abortions in SA remain
Lancet Commission: Access to legal abortions still a problem in SA
Nurse faces criminal charges after performing ‘back-yard abortion’
SA’s liberal abortion laws thwarted by social stigma