Canaan Mdletshe
Canaan Mdletshe
A Durban social worker has been arrested for allegedly selling a three-month old baby for R1500.
Police spokesman Inspector Micheal Read said their investigations have revealed that in September a woman went to the Durban child welfare department and asked to adopt a child.
"She was contacted in May by a social worker, who informed her that she had a baby boy for her, but that she had to pay R1500. After paying the money, the woman took the baby home," Read said.
He said the woman was told that the paperwork would be completed at a later stage. A concerned member of the community reported that a woman had a three-month old boy, but had never been pregnant.
"We went to her residence and after interviewing her, we arrested a social worker in Lamontville," Read said.
A special appeal is made to the child's biological mother, Meissie Ngubane, 20, to contact investigating officer Sam Naidoo at 031-310-6331 or 082-074-8595.
Meanwhile, a 50-year-old woman is expected to appear in the Durban magistrates' court today after she was arrested on Friday for defeating the ends of justice. The suspect claimed in an SMS she sent her son and business associates on June 29 that she had been kidnapped and was being held hostage in Umlazi. Read said that the suspect told the police that her kidnappers were demanding a ransom for her release.
"She claimed that her kidnappers were demanding a R100000 ransom for her release," said Read. He said detectives from Durban Central and the Organised Crime Unit conducted intensive investigations. Costly modern technology was used and she was traced to a building in Cato Street, in the Durban city centre. She was arrested and was criminally charged," he said.
Read said in addition to the criminal charges, police are calculating the cost of the hoax kidnapping. He said these could run into thousands of rands and would be claimed from her.
"People must not report false cases because they will be arrested," warned Read.
Social worker arrested for selling infant
Canaan Mdletshe
Canaan Mdletshe
A Durban social worker has been arrested for allegedly selling a three-month old baby for R1500.
Police spokesman Inspector Micheal Read said their investigations have revealed that in September a woman went to the Durban child welfare department and asked to adopt a child.
"She was contacted in May by a social worker, who informed her that she had a baby boy for her, but that she had to pay R1500. After paying the money, the woman took the baby home," Read said.
He said the woman was told that the paperwork would be completed at a later stage. A concerned member of the community reported that a woman had a three-month old boy, but had never been pregnant.
"We went to her residence and after interviewing her, we arrested a social worker in Lamontville," Read said.
A special appeal is made to the child's biological mother, Meissie Ngubane, 20, to contact investigating officer Sam Naidoo at 031-310-6331 or 082-074-8595.
Meanwhile, a 50-year-old woman is expected to appear in the Durban magistrates' court today after she was arrested on Friday for defeating the ends of justice. The suspect claimed in an SMS she sent her son and business associates on June 29 that she had been kidnapped and was being held hostage in Umlazi. Read said that the suspect told the police that her kidnappers were demanding a ransom for her release.
"She claimed that her kidnappers were demanding a R100000 ransom for her release," said Read. He said detectives from Durban Central and the Organised Crime Unit conducted intensive investigations. Costly modern technology was used and she was traced to a building in Cato Street, in the Durban city centre. She was arrested and was criminally charged," he said.
Read said in addition to the criminal charges, police are calculating the cost of the hoax kidnapping. He said these could run into thousands of rands and would be claimed from her.
"People must not report false cases because they will be arrested," warned Read.