Sentencing proceedings had to be halted in the high court in Pretoria on Friday when the woman known as “Mama Jackie” broke down in the witness stand.
“Mama Jackie”, whose real name is Raisibe Ramohlola, has been convicted on two charges of child trafficking and was found guilty of running an illegal orphanage.
It was found that she had sold a month-old baby girl and a boy, aged 6, to a childless couple for R15 000 each.
The new parents testified that they were under the impression they were adopting the children three years ago, and that the money Mama Jackie asked from them was adoption fees.
Mama Jackie also ran her orphanage illegally and time and again social services had warned her to register but she turned a deaf ear.
Now 62, and frail looking, she testified in mitigation of sentence that her mother died during childbirth and she was cared for by her grandmother.
One night she said she was raped by two men while alone at home.
Mama Jackie wept bitterly as she testified that she went to the neighbours for help, but they chased her away.
Her grandmother died when she was 12 and from then until she was 30 she had lived on the streets which is where, she said she had grown up.
Mama Jackie’s wails became increasingly louder as she testified that she remained on the streets until she was 30.
“It’s too painful to talk about,” she said, before becoming totally hysterical and falling to the floor.
She explained that her experience was the main reason why she decided to take care of orphans.
Judge Mohamed Ismail had to adjourn the proceedings. Her legal team tried to assist her, to no avail.
Her sobbing became louder and when it became clear she was inconsolable, the matter was enrolled to Monday, when a date for the sentencing proceedings will be determined.
A Correctional Services officer testified on behalf of the defence and stated that Mama Jackie was a good candidate for a sentence of correctional supervision.
This would mean that she wouldn't go to jail, but remain under house arrest for three years.
The official said she should have to do community service during this time and attend certain life skills programmes.
The court was told that she could possibly be earmarked to clean a school for the mentally impaired, which was situated close to her home.
But the prosecution said it was seriously considering asking the court to issue an order forbidding Mama Jackie from ever working with children, as she had been convicted of an offence involving children.
The “adoptive” parents of the two children who had been in her care were not present in court.
They earlier testified that they had been desperate to adopt children and when they read about Mama Jackie in a newspaper, they believed she could help them to do so.
However, they became suspicious when they were given the children without any accompanying documents.
They battled to register the children and were eventually told that it was an illegal adoption.
The children were however extremely happy, the court heard, and they were now officially in the couple’s foster care.
Pretoria News Weekend