A young woman who allegedly aborted and buried her baby in her friend’s backyard has been released on R500 bail.
Janine Mahabeer, 23, was arrested on Tuesday after police received a tip-off about the infant being buried at a house in Spearmint Street in Kewtown three weeks ago.
It was also revealed that the baby was not 18 weeks as initially reported, but six and a half months old.
The informer, who knows the accused and spoke on condition of anonymity, says the baby girl was alive at birth and that is why he took pictures and called the cops.
He told the Daily Voice: “She was already six months pregnant. I heard that child cry out and when I went to look, Janine was looking pale and carrying a black bag. I grabbed it and looked inside and [saw the dead child]. She then buried it in her friend’s yard.
“I went to the Athlone Police station four times and then to Wynberg and Cape Town Police station and back again, but the police did not believe me,” he says, shaking his head.
It was only when he told cops he knew where the body was buried, that they believed him.
Mahabeer has been charged with concealment of pregnancy, but police say this could be changed to murder if an autopsy finds the baby was alive at birth.
Court got off to a late start as the suspect was first taken for a medical examination by police.
Due to medical reports still outstanding, Magistrate Keith le Keur released the suspect on R500 bail.
The ruling was met with howls of outrage from community members who had packed the courtroom.
Community worker Amina Rajap says: “We petitioned the magistrate not to release her, but it was not enough. This woman is evil and deserves to go to jail for life. She killed her own child.”
Janine’s family was also at court. Her mom Janet says: “We do not know yet what happened as we have not been able to speak to her since her arrest.”
Janine slipped out of court, but her berk, only known as Bruce shouted to the community, “Money talks,” laughing at them.
The matter was postponed to October 5.