Durban - A 33-year-old woman who stole a baby because she lied to her boyfriend she was pregnant has been jailed for four years.
Bongeka Patricia Mathonsi was sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court after being convicted on kidnapping.
According to police Mathonsi broke into a house in KwaPata location in October 2019.
"She took the baby and some of the baby's clothing and fled," said police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele.
Mbele said the mother realised that her baby was missing in the early hours of the morning when she wanted to breastfeed her.
A case of kidnapping was opened at Plessislaer SAPS.
The case was then handed to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit detectives who investigated the matter.
"The accused was arrested while she was at her boyfriend’s place of residence."
The court heard that the accused had deceived her boyfriend from Malawi that she was pregnant with his baby.
"The boyfriend had been depositing cash for pregnancy until the birth of the baby. The accused stole the baby when the boyfriend wanted to see the baby so that he would take her to his home for their traditional rituals.
"She was immediately arrested and was taken into custody," said Mbele.
The court declared the woman unfit to possess a firearm.
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