The Vanderbijlpark Magistrates Court has heard shocking new details in the bail application of Keneilwe Shalaba, the 32-year-old mother accused of selling her missing two-year-old son, Kutloano Shalaba.
Keneilwe Shalaba bail hearing resumes today: Here’s the latest
Shalaba, who was arrested in November 2024 after falsely reporting her son’s kidnapping, appeared in court on Wednesday, where Investigating Officer Sergeant Clayton Motloung testified about the events leading up to her arrest.
During the proceedings, the court heard that Shalaba received R75,000 in her bank account on the same day she reported her son missing.
The State is opposing bail, arguing that the money may be linked to the child’s disappearance.
In her bail application, Shalaba, who is nine months pregnant with twins, cited health concerns and her responsibilities towards her two other children, aged six and nine.
The court, however, remains unconvinced, given the severity of the allegations and the fact that Kutloano remains missing.
What the court heard today
Sergeant Motloung detailed a series of inconsistencies in Shalaba’s version of events:
- False Kidnapping Claim: Shalaba initially claimed her son was snatched from her back by three unknown men in a silver-grey VW Polo in Boipatong. However, police investigations revealed that she had lied about the abduction.
- Suspicious Financial Transaction: Police found that R75,000 was deposited into her bank account on the day she reported Kutloano missing. Shalaba refused to disclose the source of the funds but denied they were connected to the child’s disappearance.
- Failed Durban Robbery Plot: Police discovered that Shalaba had been in contact with a man named Lehlohonolo, who she allegedly met a month before Kutloano went missing. She reportedly provided details of a planned Durban trip to assist Lehlohonolo and his associates in attempting to rob a group of women travelling with her. The robbery failed, but police are still investigating her role in the conspiracy.
- Ransom Demand: The State revealed that Shalaba had contacted an individual—now a state witness—and instructed them to demand R40,000 in ransom from Kutloano’s father. This further raised suspicions about her involvement in her son’s disappearance.
- Missing Child’s Belongings: Upon searching her home, police found no clothes or belongings that would indicate Kutloano had been living there before he went missing.
Are there other suspects?
The State is pursuing additional suspects, particularly Lehlohonolo, the man who allegedly met Shalaba at the exact location where she claimed her son was kidnapped.
While police have not yet arrested Lehlohonolo, Sergeant Motloung told the court that there were ongoing investigations and that he would be apprehended at a later stage.
The magistrate questioned the delay, but Motloung declined to provide further details, citing sensitive operational matters.
Shalaba was still in court for her bail hearing when this article was published.
