Cape Town - The woman who is facing charges for the abduction of Zephany Nurse 17 years ago was back in the dock on Thursday to have one of her bail conditions amended.
The woman, who cannot be named by court order, is expected to appear in connection with the case later this month, but in the interim her lawyer had written to the State regarding her bail conditions – which if breached, could see her in custody.
Zephany, who has a new name and turned to the courts this week to have her identity protected, was snatched from Groote Schuur Hospital, when she was three days old in April 1997.
The remarkable story unfolded 17 years later after Zephany and her biological sister became friends while attending the same school. DNA test results confirmed her identity.
The 50-year-old woman, accused of taking Zephany when she was an infant and raising her as her own, had previously been granted R5 000 bail with conditions.
At the time the State was not opposed to the woman’s release on bail.
Her bail conditions included that she report to a police station three times a week, that she not contact State witnesses or Zephany – including online contact.
She was not to return to her Lavender Hill home, but would stay at an undisclosed location.
She appeared briefly in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Thursday where it emerged that the family with whom she has been staying, are expected to move to the Steenberg area.
She can’t move with them, because she would be too close to State witnesses, so has had to find an alternative place to live.
Her lawyer, Reaz Khan, requested that the court note that as of Monday, she would be reporting to the Diep River police station where she has to sign in within prescribed time-frames.
Senior State prosecutor David Jacobs addressed the court, standing in for prosecutor Bonnie Currie-Gamwo. Jacobs said the State had received a written request from the defence regarding the amendment.
“We have considered the request and we’d like to advise and report to the court that we have agreed to the request,” Jacobs said. Magistrate Joe Magele granted the amendment.
Her other bail conditions remain unchanged. She is expected back in court on May 29.
This week the story of Zephany again made headlines when she applied to the Pretoria High Court to protect her identity after she turns 18 at the end of this April. She said in an affidavit that if the media were allowed to reveal her real identity when turns 18, her life would “be a nightmare forever”.
Cape Argus