The Bothaville Regional Court has sentenced two women found guilty of child trafficking to an option of paying a fine of R60 000 each, or three years\u2019 imprisonment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nthoba Rebecca Mahoa (31) and Happiness Mosedi (29) were sentenced on 24 May as the result of an investigation by the Welkom Hawks\u2019 Serious Organised Crime Investigation team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Col. Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said the elite crime fighting wing had presented compelling evidence against the two women. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBoth accused were sentenced to a R60 000 fine or three years\u2019 imprisonment, suspended for five years on the condition that they are not convicted of the same offence during the period of suspension,\u201d said Mohobeleli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the investigations revealed Mosedi had intended to purchase Mahoa\u2019s son, along with arrangements to orchestrate the sale of the child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOn 12 September 2022, Mahoa gave birth to a baby boy. Shortly thereafter, she advertised on Facebook that she wanted to put her baby up for adoption. Her accomplice, Mosedi, showed interest and promised the mother four instalments of R1 500 to adopt the child. To prove her trustworthiness, she lied about being a medical doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNumerous WhatsApp messages were exchanged between the traffickers, and arrangements to meet were made,\u201d said Mohobeleli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it was time to hand the baby over, Mahoa developed cold feet and told her neighbours that she no longer felt comfortable with the plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe good neighbours informed members of the Welkom Serious Organised Crime Investigation team. A quick verification of Mosedi\u2019s credentials revealed that she had lied about being a medical doctor. The baby was rescued, taken to a place of safety, and the two women arrested,\u201d said Mohobeleli. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maj. Gen. Mokgadi Bokaba, provincial head of the Hawks, has advised mothers to follow the correct adoption procedures and, for instance, ask the hospital for assistance. Bokaba has also has strongly warned against the illegal process that culminated in the two women\u2019s arrest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUsing social media exposes both mother and child to human trafficking. Predators routinely use social media to lure their victims,\u201d said Bokaba.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Bothaville Regional Court has sentenced two women found guilty of child trafficking to an option of paying a fine of R60 000 each, or three years\u2019 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