Hunt on for baby snatcher
|Published
Police believe this woman, Linette Moyo, can assist them with their investigations into the kidnapping of Kgosietsile Marobe. Photo: Supplied Police believe this woman, Linette Moyo, can assist them with their investigations into the kidnapping of Kgosietsile Marobe. Photo: Supplied
The first priority was to find baby Kgosietsile Marobe. But now that he’s safely home, police hope to locate his former childminder, who they hope can help with investigations into his disappearance.
Police believe the 21-year-old, who had been looking after the baby for the past three months, and has not been seen since he disappeared, has vital information.
Kgosietsile was allegedly taken from his cot on Monday while his mother lay asleep next to him in their home in a security complex in Hestea Park, a suburb in the north of Pretoria.
On Tuesday morning, he was traced to a crèche in central Joburg where he had been hastily dropped off by a young woman who said she had to get to work.
Oblivious to the fuss over him, six-month-old Kgosietsile smiled and gurgled as his mother Mita, 33, relived the family’s frantic search for him, and her joy at being reunited, first at a press conference in Joburg and later with family back home in the city.
She jiggled him and swooped him happily up into the air, planting kisses on his body while his father Jacob Gavua looked on smiling.
“He’s home. Thank God he is home,” said Marobe.
Marobe said Kgosietsile disappeared from his cot while she was sleeping. She was locked into the house and her handbag, cellphone and bank cards were missing.
She told police she had received an SMS from the suspect in which R45 000 was demanded.
Meanwhile, after repeated ransom demands, the amount was brought down to R2 000.
A final SMS, sent to Marobe’s sister, Idah Dawutola, was received as the family drove with police to a joint operations centre set up in the widening search for Kgosietsile.
Police called the number and ended up speaking to the owner of a crèche in Hillbrow where the baby had been dropped off.
Dawutola, who was with Marobe, said it would seem the kidnapper had panicked when seeing the widespread publicity the case had attracted with the baby’s face featured prominently .
“When I heard they had found my baby I just started crying. I couldn’t believe it, I was so happy,” said Marobe.
The best moment was when she walked into the crèche and saw Kgosietsile sitting on a staff member’s lap, the mother said.
“He was crying. I’ve never heard him cry like that, but the moment he saw me he stopped. His face lit up. I will never forget that moment. Our eyes connected and we both smiled.
“I couldn’t stop hugging and touching him. I refused to let him go even when the police wanted to check that he was all right,” said Marobe.
The owner of Downtown Preschool, Francinah Mokhari, told Marobe and police that a woman had rushed into the crèche, and said she needed someone to look after her child urgently as she had to go to work.
“She was in a hurry. She kept on walking up and down saying she had to go and that she had just found work and had to hurry.
“I tried to get her to fill in some documents with her details, but she refused. She said she would complete the forms when she came back to pick up her baby.
“She pushed a bottle of milk into my hand for the baby and ran out. I got such a fright when the police phoned looking for the baby.”
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Tshisikhawe Ndou said the investigation was progressing well and they were confident to make an arrest soon.
Anyone who knows Linette Moyo, pictured, or who may be able to help in any way with the investigation can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111. - Pretoria News