Johannesburg - A woman who had told police that men carrying a panga and a gun had kidnapped her one-month old baby has been arrested and charged with the child’s murder.
Mimi Mokoena, 25, has been charged with murder, perjury and defeating the ends of justice. She is expected to appear in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
North West police spokesperson North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said Mokoena called the Hebron police on Saturday and told them her child had been kidnapped.
She alleged that she was in her shack at Itsoseng Phase 2, in Hebron, when the kidnappers forced their way inside at round 7pm.
"Mokoena informed the police that two unknown men armed with a firearm and panga, forcefully gained entrance into her shack and demanded to see her boyfriend.
“Upon being told that the boyfriend was not home, the men allegedly instructed her to seal her and her baby’s mouths with Sellotape and ultimately fled from the scene with the baby.”
The following day, Mokgwabone said, a passerby found Mokoena’s month-old baby on the banks of a river. She had Sellotape over her mouth.
“Subsequent to intensive investigation by Bojanala Platinum Sub-District 2’s Trio Task Team, the mother admitted to killing the baby. As a result, she was arrested and charged with murder, perjury and defeating the ends of justice.”
Mokgwabone said the woman lived with her in-laws. It had been established that the boyfriend was not involved in the child’s murder.
North West Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena welcomed Mokoena’s arrest, which he said would send a clear message that the police would not hesitate to take action against those who register false cases as that was tantamount to abusing much-needed state resources.
IOL