The woman accused of kidnapping a nine-day-old baby from the Middestad Mall in Bellville last month, faces imminent arrest in another matter involving a pregnant 15-year-old teenager. This was heard in the Bellville magistrates’ court during her bail application.

The 37-year-old woman was arrested days after allegedly kidnapping the infant boy last month.

The baby has been reunited with his mother.

The state says that the results of cellphone analysis on the cellphones and numbers used by the accused are proof that she used different aliases, including “Chivon” and “Waseemah”, and that it places her in the car in which the baby and his mother were transported to the Middestad Mall on the day the baby was snatched.

A detective in the case says all three SIM cards, that of the accused as well as that of “Chivon” and “Waseemah” were used in the same cellphone at varying times.

Proof, he says, that the accused before the court used those names as aliases.

Another matter

The accused now also faces imminent arrest in another matter. This relates to a pregnant teenager who reached out to the NGO, which the accused claimed she was representing

Sergeant Dawid Fortuin is part of the investigating team. “A 15-year-old pregnant mother, a young girl who informed her that a person by the name of Chivon Claasen approached her with regards to her having a baby and giving her assistance under the name of the Zoey project. The person who presented herself as Chivon used the 074 number, whereas in this case, the person who presented herself as Waseemah used the very same number, your worship.”

Defence counsel, however, argues that this had no bearing on the current bail application.

In an affidavit, the accused says she suffers from bipolar, is not a flight risk, and can afford to pay bail of R2 000 if granted.

The defence’s attorney says she has no previous convictions, warrants, or protection orders, will not destroy evidence, and will abide by all bail conditions.

The court has impressed upon the state that in a schedule one matter, it must prove why bail should be denied.

The matter has been postponed to next Monday for bail consideration.

Western Cape | Bail hearing for an alleged baby snatcher