Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo
07 December 2023
A 42-year-old woman appeared before the Evander Magistrate court on Wednesday, 06 December 2023 after being arrested on charges of kidnapping.
It is alleged that the accused allegedly took her deceased sister’s child forcefully away from paternal family care because the father did not pay damages.
The accused was called by social workers, and an agreement was reached that the child would reside with the paternal grandparents and visit the accused during school holidays, which was said to be a short agreement until the father paid damages.
The accused therefore took the child to the Eastern Cape without the father’s knowledge.
The Court found it unclear whether the accused or the deceased brothers (uncles) were the ones who took the child to the Eastern Cape.
The magistrate further said the court was the wrong court to deal with the case as the children’s court is the one responsible for deciding custody of the child.
The accused was then granted bail.
