Durban - One of the two women on trial for allegedly kidnapping a baby and selling him to a childless couple, for R2 500 and an air conditioner, was accused of fabricating her evidence in the witness box.
Tazley Msweli, 48, and 41-year-old Sibongile Ndimande pleaded not guilty in the Pinetown Regional Court on Friday to the charges, which include human trafficking, kidnapping a minor, corruption and fraud.
It is alleged the 6-month-old baby had been kidnapped in October 2014 from his biological mother and then “sold” to Catherine and Rajendra Ramlatchman, who thought the baby had been abandoned.
Msweli allegedly befriended the biological mother at St Mary’s Hospital when the baby boy was admitted. She had later introduced Ndimande as a social worker to the young mother in October 2014, with the promise of food and nappies for her children.
On Friday, Msweli claimed she was an innocent party who was trying to help the baby’s mother. She said the mother had confided in her at the hospital that she wanted to throw the child into a river.
“She said it once at the hospital and I believed her. Yes, I did report it to the hospital matron but I don’t know what she did,” Msweli testified.
State advocate Val Dafel asked Msweli, who claimed to have been a police informant for 18 years, why she had not told the police.
“I thought I would tell the hospital matron who just told me to give her a lift home,” she said.
Dafel said this was new evidence presented to the court.
“There are three versions about the lift from hospital. First that the baby’s mother asked you for a lift. Second that you offered her a lift, and now that the matron asked you to give the baby’s mother a lift. Which version is correct?” Dafel asked.
Msweli said the mother did not have money for transport and also that the river was on her way home.
“This is also new evidence that was never put to the baby’s mother when she testified to comment on. I put it to you that as you are testifying you are fabricating evidence.
“I also put it to you that had you reported what the mother said to you to the hospital matron, the hospital definitely would have taken action and not just sat back,” said Dafel.
Msweli did not comment on these submissions.
Dafel then asked Msweli why the mother, after spending three weeks to a month with her sick child in hospital, would want to throw the child into the river, and also why she would confide in a stranger about committing a crime.
Msweli replied that she took the mother at her word that her husband was neglecting her. She also said the mother trusted her and considered her a friend.
Dafel said the mother denied confiding in Msweli and also denied being her friend, to which Msweli replied that the mother was trying to cover up for herself.
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