In a chilling twist of deception, Sameemah Jacobs, a 37-year-old woman, appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court this week on charges related to the kidnapping of baby Mogamat Imaad Sharmar.
Allegations suggest that Jacobs befriended the baby’s mother during their stay at a hospital, where both women were receiving care.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that Jacobs may have either posed as a pregnant woman or was, in fact, recently bereaved.
The circumstances surrounding her friendship with the mother took a sinister turn when she offered to drive them home upon their discharge from the hospital.
Jacobs’s aunt, Kathleen Brevis, has come forward with alarming insights, recalling the day Jacobs entered their home. Brevis recognised her niece’s voice and confirmed that Jacobs assisted with carrying baby bags while presenting gifts in an effort to appear helpful and genuine, as reported by Ashley Rix on Facebook.
However, beneath this façade of goodwill lay a dark intent.
During this ostensibly friendly visit, Jacobs allegedly took advantage of the situation by stealing vital documents, including the baby’s clinic card.
When confronted about the missing items, she vehemently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that she had found nothing in her vehicle.
The allegations against Jacobs are grave, leading the State to announce plans to oppose any bid for bail on the grounds of the seriousness of the charges and the considerable public interest that this case has generated.
A nine-day-old baby reported missing from a Bellville shopping complex has been found safe, thanks to swift action by a specialised SAPS crime-combating team, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Police confirmed that a 37-year-old woman was arrested on Monday, 30 June 2025, at a residence in Honolulu Street, Tafelsig, in connection with the kidnapping. The suspect is currently in custody and is expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court soon.
The dramatic recovery followed a multi-agency investigation led by the Provincial Organised Crime: Anti-Kidnapping Investigation Unit, supported by Crime Intelligence and the Bellville Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit. The team acted quickly after the child’s mother registered a kidnapping case with Bellville SAPS on Saturday, 28 June 2025.
According to police, the mother had been at a local shopping centre in Bellville when she suddenly felt nauseous. She asked a woman who had been accompanying her to watch the baby while she went to the bathroom. When she returned, both the woman and her infant had vanished.
Using an analytical and intelligence-driven approach, the joint task team tracked down the suspect within 48 hours of the report. Their efforts led them to the Tafelsig address, where the baby was found unharmed.
Police have not released further details regarding the suspect’s relationship to the mother or motive for the kidnapping, but investigations are ongoing.
SAPS has praised the dedication and speed of the multidisciplinary team, which ensured the safe return of the infant and a swift arrest in the case.
Also read:
Sea Point’s Regent Road to welcome new Tashas Group restaurant
Picture: Missing Children SA / Facebook
