The case against the alleged baby abductor Shameemah Jacobs has been postponed to next week. She briefly appeared in the Bellville Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
Jacobs is charged with kidnapping and defeating the ends of
justice after police tracked her down to Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain after the
baby was abducted in June. Baby Mogamat Imaad Sharmar, now one-year-old, was
just nine days old at the time of the incident on 28 June when he and the
mother was at a local shopping complex in Bellville when she fell ill. The
mother left the child in the care of a women who was with her when she went to
the bathroom. Upon her return the mother could not locate the woman and her
baby. Baby Imaad was found in Mitchell’s Plain two days later.
At the last court appearance on July 29, the suspect, Sameemah Jacobs,
was given strict bail conditions after being released from custody for R4 000.
The magistrate, instructed Jacobs to stay out of the suburb, was placed under
house arrest, to report to a designated police station three times a week, and
make no contact with the witnesses
The 37-year-old is charged with kidnapping and defeating
the ends of justice.
PICTURE: PixabayAn application was heard on Wednesday to amend her bail
conditions, as the accused wishes to attend a religious excursion. The
prosecutor requested that the magistrate reiterate the bail conditions. The
accused’s Legal Aid representative was not present in court. The matter was
also postponed for further investigation, specifically relating to cellphone
evidence and forensic analysis.
Civil rights organisation, Action Society, says it will
support the mother in this case.
“This case exposes how vulnerable mothers are being
exploited by individuals who use false identities and community networks to gain
access to their children. We will stand with Imaan through every step of this
process to ensure that justice is done and that the system does not fail her again,”
said Kaylynn Palm, head of Action Society’s Action Centre.
According to Sharmar, the woman first introduced herself as Washeemah, befriending her at a clinic before her baby’s birth. As Washeemah, she always wore a pardah covering her face, stayed in contact after the birth, and regularly collected Imaan and her baby for clinic appointments. Later, Washeemah told Imaan about the Zoey Project, claiming it assisted young mothers, and offered to connect her. The same woman then re-emerged under a new identity – “Chevon,” a nurse from the Zoey Project – and convinced Imaan to attend a course on 28 June.
“She had me picked up, and she was sitting at the back. She
gave me some Oros. We were early and went to the mall; I felt dizzy and
nauseous and went to the toilet. I left my child with the woman, for less than
five minutes and when I returned, they were gone,” Sharmar said.
“Clearly the accused carefully planned and executed the
abduction. By assuming multiple identities and cultivating a relationship with
Imaan Sharmar over several months, she deliberately gained the young mother’s
trust and access to her baby. The pattern of deception – from befriending Imaan
before the birth, to posing as a supporter of young mothers through the
so-called Zoey Project – indicates a calculated and manipulative effort to
mislead and target a vulnerable woman for the purpose of carrying out the
kidnapping,” added Palm.
Action Society says it will offer emotional support to the
affected family; oversee and report on court proceedings to ensure justice is
served; advocate for stronger safeguards for vulnerable mothers and children;
and challenge lenient bail decisions in serious child-related cases.
“Every child abduction is an emergency. We cannot normalise
a climate where parents fear losing their children in public spaces. Action
Society will continue to hold law enforcement and the justice system
accountable for protecting South Africa’s most vulnerable,” said Kaylynn Palm,
head of Action Society’s Action Centre.
The matter resumes again on 21 October 2025.
Done by: Mitchum George
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