The mother of missing two year old Kutloano Shalaba was denied bail by the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court yesterday. Keneilwe Shalaba (32), who was arrested late last year, is facing charges of human trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery and making a false statement to the police. 

ACCUSED OF SELLING HER BABY FOR R75K

In November last year, Shalaba went to the police to report Kutloano missing and alleged that he had been kidnapped from her back by two unknown people driving a VW Polo. At the time, Shalaba, who had given birth to twins and has two other babies, claimed that she had just gotten off her taxi when the men snatched the toddler from her back. Last week, Sergeant George Motloung told the court that Shalaba admitted in her statement that money was deposited to her bank account. Motloung also said the police managed to get her bank records, which showed an amount of R75 000 was paid on the day she reported Kutlwano missing.Motloung pleaded with the court to not grant Shalaba bail, as she was a danger to her other children.

SHE MIGHT INTERFERE WITH WITNESSES

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said during the bail application, Shalaba told the court that she is a first offender and that while in custody, she does not receive good medical treatment as she is nine months pregnant. She also testified that she cooperated with the police and, when in custody, was unable to maintain her children. Furthermore, she said she would not evade trial as she wanted to find her missing child. "However, state prosecutor Cornelle Grobler opposed the bail application and said that the accused might interfere with investigations, as she has already contacted one of the state witnesses. Furthermore, she said that the accused is a danger to her children as they might suffer the same fate as the missing child," Mahanjana said, adding that the accused is in a maternity ward where she receives necessary medical attention and will not be the first woman to give birth in prison.

BAIL DENIED

Magistrate Micheal Tlale said the state had a strong case against the accused. Tlale added that the accused does not dispute that the kidnapping was staged and that she informed one of the witnesses to inform the father of the child that the child is with them so he can pay a ransom of R75 000. "Furthermore, the magistrate said the accused did not provide any plausible reason why she should be released on bail. The pregnancy and partially being medically attended to are not enough to secure her release on bail. He said the personal circumstances that the accused placed are not exceptional; therefore, he finds that it is not in the interest of justice to grant the accused bail," added Mahanjana. The matter was postponed to 7 April 2025 for further investigations.