'Zephany snatcher also tried to take my baby'

25 February 2016 - 02:47 By Philani Nombembe

The woman accused of snatching Zephany Nurse from Groote Schuur Hospital on April 30 1997 allegedly tried to take another baby first. Yesterday state witness Shireen Piet testified that the accused also tried to steal her baby at the hospital."The woman was heavily pregnant and said she was going to undergo a Caesarean," said Piet."I asked her for money to make a phone call at the public phone."I then saw the woman leaving with my baby."I said 'give me my child'. She said the baby had been crying but she didn't look like she had been crying."But the accused's lawyer, Reaz Khan, told the court she was nowhere near Groote Schuur Hospital on the day of Zephany's disappearance.Khan told Piet: "If you recognised the perpetrator you would have pointed at her the first time [at the police parade]."Never did you say at the identity parade it was No2 (the accused), it can't be anyone else."Khan said Piet knew the accused because Morné Nurse had sent her pictures of her, after he had downloaded them from Zephany's Facebook account.This week, the accused - who cannot be named to protect Zephany - said a woman whom she could only identify as Sylvia gave her the child.In court papers she claimed Sylvia had told her that "she can assist with adoption as she knew many women who did not want their children due to unplanned pregnancies". She claimed the cost of getting the child was R3000. She also admitted duping her husband into believing that Zephany was their biological child."Kidnapping a child who did not belong to me is not in my nature," the accused said in court papers."I recall always being surrounded by and close to children in our family home. My sister Stephanie had three children who I have been caring for since they were born."The state intends closing its case today after calling two more witnesses and the defence is expected to start its case on Monday.Zephany was reunited with her biological parents in February last year...

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