A 20-year-old mother appeared in the Eerstehoek Magistrate’s Court for the second time yesterday, for formal bail application.
Sphiwe Precious Nkosi (20) was arrested on Christmas Day for the alleged murder of her three-week-old infant.
She was arrested after her mother, who suspected that she had killed the baby, called the local police to look into the matter.
According to Const Peace Mbokane, Elukwatini police spokesman, the concerned mother of the suspect had tried fruitlessly to enquire where the infant was after the suspect returned home alone.
“It is alleged that she first lied that she had left the child at a friend’s house and later changed that story, saying the child was with her boyfriend, the father of the child. This was far from the truth and the scales fell from the mother’s eyes when the said boyfriend came looking for the child – that was when the police were roped in,” said Mbokane.
He added that the suspect confessed to the police that she had strangled the infant the previous day and hidden it behind a cupboard, wrapped in a blanket.
“She explained to the police that she did so because she really did not have any use for a second child as she already had a two-year-old and struggled to rub two coins together. This disheartened the suspect’s mother as she elaborated that even the child the suspect had before was maintained by her and she was going to raise this one too,” continued Mbokane.
“The police began searching for the body of the infant and found it exactly where the suspect had directed them. She was arrested on the spot. The cloth which the suspect used to strangle the infant was also found. The manner in which the suspect had killed the infant was very unforgiving and a very disturbing sight. Not to mention the timing, when the birth of the baby boy Jesus Christ was being celebrated.
“Community members are urged to seek professional assistance when faced with such circumstances. Social workers are available and would gladly assist. The police are still investigating the matter,” Mbokane concluded.
Nkosi appeared in the Eerstehoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday and at the time of going to print the result was still unknown.
