Amy Leigh: ‘She’s never been the same again’
State's first witness testifies about the circumstances around Amy Leigh de Jager's kidnapping.
The first witness in the kidnapping case of Amy Leigh testified on Thursday in the Vanderbijl Magistrate’s Court that the girl’s father said “she has never been the same again” since the kidnapping.
Investigating officer Constable Clayton Motloung was the first witness for the state who took the stand in court for the bail application of the three accused of kidnapping Amy Leigh shortly before noon on 19 September.
Motloung went through the run of events on the day of Amy Leigh’s kidnapping and some of the evidence against the three accused in the case.
On 2 September Angelique de Jager was busy dropping off her two children at the Kollegepark Primary School.
Amy Leigh was snatched from her mother by four unknown suspects and pushed into a white Toyota Fortuner.
Not long afterwards, Amy Leigh’s father, Wynand, received a call from an unknown man demanding a ransom of R2-million rand.
ALSO READ: Amy’Leigh’s alleged kidnappers case postponed
The call was traced by police to a smallholdings where accused 3, Pieter van Zyl, lived.
Amy Leigh was released unharmed by her kidnappers in the early hours of the morning of 3 September.
Shortly after Amy Leigh was safely returned to her parents, a family friend and teacher at Kollegpark Primary School, Tharina Human, was arrested in connection with the kidnapping.
Human’s two alleged accomplices, Leatitia Nel and Pieter van Zyl, were also arrested in connection with the kidnapping.
Mothoung mentioned that more suspects were at large.
According to Mothloung’s statement, the white Toyota Fortuner was supplied by Nel and found parked at her premises.
Nel allegedly told the police Human owed a Nigerian drug dealer money, who wanted to kidnap her daughter if she did not pay him.
Mothloung said Human’s initial plan was to have herself kidnapped to obtain the money from her own family to pay back the alleged drug dealer.
Mothloung indicated that another state witness, who was present at the initial planning of the kidnapping, will testify later in the case.
There were allegedly three plans to obtain the money.
Amy Leigh was chosen because her parents are believed to be wealthy.
Mothloung said kidnapping was a serious charge and the court could impose a sentence of 15 years to life imprisonment.
The bail application has been postponed until 20 September.
*The article has been amended.
ALSO READ: Newsflash: Teacher at school one of arrested in Amy-Leigh kidnapping
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