Africa-Press – South-Africa. A Gqeberha woman accused of allegedly abducting a five-day-old baby last year appeared in the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Twenty-year-old Amahle Sigam faces a charge of kidnapping after allegedly abducting the child in 2022.
Last November, Sigam allegedly arrived at the Dora Nginza Hospital, after the baby was born on 22 November, and pretended she was sent by mother Noncedo Jali’s family to assist with the newborn.
Jali and Sigam went to the nearby Kenako Mall on 27 November to buy a few items for the baby when Sigam allegedly evaded Jali in the busy mall and left with the baby.
A case of kidnapping was opened at Algoa Park police station.
In a surprising turn of events, the baby was found alive and Sigam was arrested on Tuesday, seven months after the kidnapping.
During her appearance, Sigam was dressed in a blue gown and brown beanie.
As she took her seat in the dock, an accused in a different case aggressively pulled Sigam’s beanie off her head, causing the court orderly to intervene and take the beanie.
Sigam was also limping when she left the dock and tried to talk to her mother, who was whispering angrily at her daughter from the public gallery.
Both were silenced as the court was still in session.
The case was postponed to 6 July for profiling to take place.
Sigam’s mother did not want to speak to the media. Another family member said they were not ready to speak.
“We are still trying to process what happened,” the woman said.
Police spokesperson Captain AndreĢ Beetge said the baby would remain in the care of social workers until the investigation was completed.
“More charges might be added as the investigation progresses,” he added.
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