S'Bongile Mbambo and her alleged lover, Phumlani Mbokazi, were yesterday granted R1000 bail in the Durban Magistrate's Court, where they are appearing in connection with the saga surrounding Mbambo's month-old daughter, Siwaphiwe.
Both have been charged with defeating the ends of justice and fraud. The fraud charge relates to how they allegedly misled police into launching a massive search for the infant last week.
Speaking through a legal representative, Mbokazi - who claims to be Siwaphiwe's biological father - said he would plead not guilty to the charges. Mbambo's legal team did not say how she intended to plead.
Both initially faced kidnapping charges, but those have been dropped.
Mbambo had told police that she was hijacked near the City View shopping centre in Durban on Friday, setting off an intensive search that ended when Mbokazi was caught with the child while driving towards Durban on the N3 on Sunday morning. Police said the hijacking was staged.
The court heard that a paternity test would be handled by the Family Court to determine whether Mbokazi or Mbambo's husband, Christopher, is the baby's father.
The state did not oppose bail.
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