MBOMBELA – Three of five suspects who were investigated for the kidnapping of a day-old baby from Rob Ferreira Hospital on August 30 last year, are now being accused of pretending to be South Africans. It was confirmed that they would not be prosecuted on kidnapping charges.
The arrest of Mr Phineas Sono (35), Ms Portia Ncube (31) and Mr Aaron Moyo Nyoni (20), Mr Julius Sithole (25) and Mr Ananias Ndzimba (27) was preceded by a week-long investigation after the infant disappeared from his mother’s side in the hospital’s maternity ward.
His mother, Martha Mandlazi (16), was sleeping after giving birth and awoke to find that her son was missing.
Apparently the accused conspired to kidnap the infant by posing as his family members. No closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the alleged abduction was available as the hospital’s CCTV cameras were out of order.
The case had been postponed numerous times. When the accused appeared in the court on Monday, the state confirmed that they would no longer be charged with kidnapping as there was not sufficient evidence to prove this charge.
The accused will now be charged with contravening the Immigration Act. Sono, Ncube and Nyoni, argued that their presence in South Africa was legal.
It was Ncube’s argument that shocked the gallery. “My name is not Portia Ncube. I am actually Skanisiwe Skabula,” she said before confirming this with her Zimbabwean passport. Mr S’phamandla Mchunu, Sono’s legal representative, also confirmed this. “He told me this and provided me with his ID.” Nyoni confirmed that he was South African as well before their documents of identification were handed in for further inquiry.
The case was postponed to June 17 for further investigation.
On May 12, Lowvelder reported:
MBOMBELA – Five suspects are no longer being charged with kidnapping after a day-old baby was taken from Rob Ferreira Hospital on August 30 last year.
The state has requested countless postponements over the past nine months in the case against the three South Africans and two Mozambicans, indicating that further investigation was still needed. On Thursday, it was confirmed that they would no longer be charged with kidnapping.
Mozambican citizens Mr Ananias Ndzimba (27) and Mr Julius Sithole (25) were arrested in Mbombela’s CBD on September 5, five days after Ms Martha Mandlazi’s newborn son disappeared from her side while she was sleeping.
South Africans Mr Phineas Sono (35), his wife, Ms Portia Ncube (31) and his nephew, Mr Aaron Moyo Nyoni (20) were arrested the following day at Mataffin. Sono previously informed Lowvelder that he, his wife and nephew were arrested because they were linked to the two Mozambican accused through usage of the same cellphone. “The cellphone that the Mozambican accused allegedly used to arrange the kidnapping, is registered in my name. This same phone number was previously used by my nephew. We were told that this is why we were arrested.” On September 22 last year, the three were granted bail. Ndzimba and Sithole were denied bail.
Read more here:
Baby kidnapped from Rob Ferreira – two suspects denied bail
Baby kidnapped from Rob Ferreira – initial report
On Thursday, state prosecutor Mr Oupa Ndlovu stated that the accused would no longer be charged with kidnapping. Lowvelder spoke to Sono after their appearance, who said that only one charge against them remained. “The remaining charge against all five of us is that of illegally being in South Africa. We will find out what the state’s position is regarding this charge on Monday.” The five were scheduled to appear in court yesterday. At time of going to print they were still awaiting their appearance.
