A couple were arrested in the Eastern Cape on 16 December 2019 for kidnapping their biological daughters after an arranged visit by a social worker.
South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual offences Unit in Cradock, Eastern Cape reacted to a tip-off from the public on 16 December 2019.
Police were able to arrest the couple at the shelter for homeless people just outside of Pretoria.
Couple kidnaps their daughters
On 15 December, SAPS released a statement stating that the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual offences Unit in Cradock were urging the public to assist in finding two biological sisters.
The sisters, who cannot be named went missing on 13 December 2019, after an arranged visit with their biological parents.
On 13 December, the grandfather and legal guardian, Marius Olivier reported them missing.
It is alleged that the couple left shortly after the children were dropped off at their home for an arranged visit by a social worker.
They left the premises with a travelling bag and the two children. The children were dressed in a white and yellow dress, blue pants and pink shoes.
Two girls found
The minors were kept at the South African Relief Project until they were handed over into the care of their legal guardian, their grandfather.
The couple between the ages of 31 and 35 will appear before the Themba Magistrates Court on 18 December 2019 on charges relating to Kidnapping and Contravention of a court order.
Cape Town divorce lawyer, Peter M Baker provided a scenario about parents illegally kidnapping their own children.
“The minor’s parents were unmarried. The father sought joint custody. The mother took the child to Switzerland without informing the father. The father alleged that the court had the right of custody over the child as provided for in article 3 of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980)” said Baker.
“In the abovementioned case, the Judge granted the order sought and held that the court was vested with rights of custody. The father was then in a better position to institute proceedings in a Swiss court for the return of the child to South Africa,” he added.
“The kidnapping of a child is a very serious allegation. In my opinion, the parents of a minor child should rather strive to achieve a situation where it will not be necessary to raise allegations of this nature, and try to sort out access rights in a more amicable fashion, where allegations of criminal behaviour will not be necessary,” added Baker.
