The four kidnappers of a six-year-old girl from Vanderbijlpark a year ago received hefty jail terms on Thursday.
“Mastermind” Tharina Human, a 28-year-old grade RR teacher, and her co-accused Laetitia Nel, 41, Pieter van Zyl, 51, and Bafokeng Molemohi, 24, were sentenced in the Gauteng high court, sitting in Palm Ridge, after they all pleaded guilty.
Human, who was the teacher of the six-year-old's brother and a close family friend, was sentenced to an effective 10 years in prison.
Her co-accused were also sentenced: Nel to an effective five years, Molemohi to seven years and Van Zyl to eight years.
According to state prosecutor Salome Scheepers, the kidnapping had a severe affect on the child's family and has harmed the child's development.
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