A Durban woman and her lover, who stand accused of staging a then one-month-old baby girl’s kidnapping from the Durban city centre in March, appeared briefly in the court on Thursday morning.
Magistrate Mahomed Motala has given the State until the end of July to finalise its investigations in its case against the two.
The State requested a four-week adjournment and asked that it not be marked final, explaining that two police statements were still outstanding.
However the woman’s lawyer, Mfanafuthi Biyela, as well as the man’s lawyer, Andile Dakela, both said they would rather adjourn the matter for a slightly longer period and have it marked final.
And Magistrate Motala agreed this would be better.
“It is time this high profile case met some closure,” he said.
The infant at the heart of the case, was reported kidnapped by her mother after a “hijacking” in Greyville in early March.
News quickly spread and a nationwide search for the baby ensued.
But when the baby was found three days later, it emerged that the woman and her lover – who subsequently claimed to be the baby’s father – might have staged the whole thing.
They now face charges of charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice.
They are out on bail of R1 000 each.
The baby remains in a place of safety.
Her fate will be determined by the family courts.