Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi
Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi
A Soweto woman accused of stealing a two-week-old baby from its schoolgirl mother last week was granted R2000 bail yesterday.
Tumi Hilda Gumbi, 22, appeared in the Johannesburg magistrate's court.
She will appear again on November 15.
Yesterday she appeared before Magistrate MG van Wyk. Gumbi, who was dressed colourfully, looked relaxed in the dock.
Van Wyk said he was releasing her on bail because she had provided correct information about herself and had a fixed address.
She was arrested on Monday night, ending a four-day frantic search for the baby.
Johannesburg police and family launched the search after the baby was snatched last Thursday.
Gumbi is alleged to have lured the mother of the baby, Pretty Mahlaela, to the Johannesburg city centre under the pretext that she was going to put her in touch with television star Zola 7.
They met at the Carlton Centre and she allegedly took the baby from the teenage mother and disappeared.
Earlier, Gumbi had indicated to the court that she would say in her defence that she was a friend of the mother of the baby.
Outside the court, Gumbi chatted and smiled with five family members before disappearing into the streets of Johannesburg.
Police arrested her on Monday at her home in Dlamini, Soweto.
They found her lying in her bedroom with the baby.
Gumbi, 22, allegedly stole the five-day-old Kgotsofatso from her mother Pretty Mahlaela on Thursday last week.
Pretending to be a Good Samaritan, Gumbi allegedly lured Mahlaela to the Carlton Centre, saying she had won a baby clothing voucher.
She also allegedly told her she would meet Zola 7 of the famous Zola 7 TV show.
She insisted that t mother bring the baby along.
When they met outside a food store, Gumbi allegedly wanted to see the baby immediately.
Mahlaela said Gumbi could not stop complimenting little Kgotsofatso's freshness.
Sowetan published the story of the stolen baby on October 16.
'Baby snatcher' let out on R2000 bail
Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi
Mfundekelwa Mkhulisi
A Soweto woman accused of stealing a two-week-old baby from its schoolgirl mother last week was granted R2000 bail yesterday.
Tumi Hilda Gumbi, 22, appeared in the Johannesburg magistrate's court.
She will appear again on November 15.
Yesterday she appeared before Magistrate MG van Wyk. Gumbi, who was dressed colourfully, looked relaxed in the dock.
Van Wyk said he was releasing her on bail because she had provided correct information about herself and had a fixed address.
She was arrested on Monday night, ending a four-day frantic search for the baby.
Johannesburg police and family launched the search after the baby was snatched last Thursday.
Gumbi is alleged to have lured the mother of the baby, Pretty Mahlaela, to the Johannesburg city centre under the pretext that she was going to put her in touch with television star Zola 7.
They met at the Carlton Centre and she allegedly took the baby from the teenage mother and disappeared.
Earlier, Gumbi had indicated to the court that she would say in her defence that she was a friend of the mother of the baby.
Outside the court, Gumbi chatted and smiled with five family members before disappearing into the streets of Johannesburg.
Police arrested her on Monday at her home in Dlamini, Soweto.
They found her lying in her bedroom with the baby.
Gumbi, 22, allegedly stole the five-day-old Kgotsofatso from her mother Pretty Mahlaela on Thursday last week.
Pretending to be a Good Samaritan, Gumbi allegedly lured Mahlaela to the Carlton Centre, saying she had won a baby clothing voucher.
She also allegedly told her she would meet Zola 7 of the famous Zola 7 TV show.
She insisted that t mother bring the baby along.
When they met outside a food store, Gumbi allegedly wanted to see the baby immediately.
Mahlaela said Gumbi could not stop complimenting little Kgotsofatso's freshness.
Sowetan published the story of the stolen baby on October 16.
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