PICS: Alleged baby snatcher 'coerced by detectives' all smiles as video shows she was at school

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Cape Town – In explosive testimony yesterday, 18-year-old alleged baby-snatcher Karabo Tau said she was forced, by officers interrogating her, to falsely admit in a statement that she had snatched twin baby Kwahlelwa Tiwane. Yesterday, Tau, dressed in her school uniform, her isiXhosa teacher Thokozile Godana and the school’s IT manager, Johan Thompson, took the stand in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court. It’s been almost three weeks since baby Kwahlelwa was allegedly snatched by a woman named Monica, who had posed as a social worker and wanted to apparently assist the family. Tau told the court that she had been interrogated by four detectives four times and that, during those interrogations, she was coerced into admitting that foreign nationals had made her snatch the baby. Tau said a detective told her to admit to being Monica, while another detective went through her phone.

She says detectives told her she had to admit to snatching Kwahlelwa and working with foreign nationals.

They asked for her accomplices names and she gave them the names of the only two foreigners she knew, which were Elly Kibunda and another man.

Thompson took to the stand to give testimony on video footage presented by the defence, which showed Tau was at school around the time the baby was taken. The footage shows Tau in conversation with a schoolmate.

Thompson testified that there were about 60 cameras at Claremont High School.

Godana said she was positive that Tau was in class because she was sitting in the front row, and she could not be missed.

The matter is back in court on Tuesday.

Cape Times