Francesca Villette
ZEPHANY NURSE’S biological family is disappointed by the postponement in the case involving the woman who stole their child nearly two decades ago.
Yesterday, the case was postponed to allow the defence time to finalise a psychological report. The court heard that Zephany will be a State witness, but her testimony will be held in camera.
Morné Nurse spoke outside the Western Cape High Court after brief proceedings and said the family had waited long enough to hear the woman's length of sentence.
“At this stage it is draining our family and we can’t handle it any more. We are tired and want to have our lives to ourselves, and at this stage it is just not happening.
"We as a family are quite disappointed. It's been three months, now we have to wait another two months.”
In March, Judge President John Hlophe found a 51-year-old Lavender Hill woman guilty of kidnapping Zephany from Groote Schuur Hospital in 1997. She was three days old at the time.
Zephany grew up with a different name, thinking the people she lived with were her biological parents.
Her kidnapper may not be named to protect Zephany’s identity and although Zephany is no longer a minor, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria granted an interdict which prohibits the media from publishing any information which may reveal her identity.
Defence attorney Reaz Khan told the court he was waiting for a psychological report of the kidnapper to be finalised and only expected that to happen by August.
Khan said he would use this report to argue in mitigation of sentence and would not proceed without it.
Judge Hlophe said he understood that proceedings needed to happen with caution and was willing to wait for the report.
Proceedings are expected to continue on August 1.
Prosecutor Evadné Kortje told the court that Zephany would be testifying during sentencing.
Kortje also said she had victim-impact reports of Zephany, Morné Nurse and Zephany’s biological mother, Celeste Nurse, but the court ordered the media not be allowed to obtain or publish anything directly from it because of its sensitive nature.
The media may, however, write about what is said in court in relation to the contents of the report.
Celeste and Morné Nurse went for 18 years without knowing where their daughter was, and in a twist of fate were reunited with her last year after Zephany and her younger biological sister were enrolled at the same school.
Morné Nurse and his daughter Cassidy invited Zephany for tea after people remarked on their striking resemblance.
Thereafter, DNA tests proved she was their child.
@FrancescaJaneV