Mother allegedly sells her 2-year-old son, reports false case to police claiming he was kidnapped by unknown men

A 32-year-old South African woman, Keneiwe Portia Shabala, has been arrested for allegedly selling her two-year-old son, Kutlwano. 

Shabala appeared in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court, Gauteng on Monday, November 25, 2024, on charges of human trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery, and making a false statement to the police. 

The charges stem from allegations that, on 10 November 2024, the mother sold her two-year-old son to unidentified individuals. 

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement said that on 13 November 2024, she allegedly reported a false case to the police, claiming that her son had been kidnapped by unknown men in a vehicle.

During the police investigation, it was uncovered that the kidnapping claim was false. The woman later confessed to fabricating the story. 

She was subsequently arrested on 19 November 2024 and has been in custody since her arrest. 

The whereabouts of the child remain unknown, and police efforts to locate him are ongoing. 

The case has been postponed to 29 November 2024 for a possible bail application and the State has indicated its intention to oppose her release on bail.