Action Society has taken up the case of baby Mogamat Imaad Sharmar’s abduction as the accused, 37-year-old Sameemah Jacobs, is scheduled to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court.  

The matter was postponed to 21 October 2025 for an application to amend her bail conditions and for further investigation into cellphone and forensic evidence.  She made her last appearance last week.

Jacobs is accused of using two false identities to deceive Imaad’s mother, Imaan Sharmar,  to gain access to the infant. The case stems from an incident in late-June when baby Imaad was abducted from a Bellville shopping mall. He was found safe two days later in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, following a police operation that led to Jacobs’ arrest.   

Little Imaad was just one week old at the time.

READ MORE: Relieved but still seeking answers: family reacts to baby’s Bellville kidnapping – Smile 90.4FM

Action Society will now be assisting the Sharmar family.  

“This case exposes how vulnerable mothers are being exploited by individuals who use false identities and community networks to gain access to their children. We will stand with Imaan through every step of this process to ensure that justice is done and that the system does not fail her again,” said Action Society’s Kaylynn Palm.

Palm said the abduction appeared “carefully planned”, noting that the accused had deliberately gained the mother’s trust over several months.

“The pattern of deception – from befriending Imaan before the birth, to posing as a supporter of young mothers through the so-called Zoey Project – indicates a calculated and manipulative effort to mislead and target a vulnerable woman for the purpose of carrying out the kidnapping.”

Palm said Action Society will monitor proceedings, support the family emotionally, and continue its advocacy for stronger protection of mothers and children, amid concerns over the rise in kidnappings across South Africa. 

In a statement, Palm pointed to SAPS data from 2023/24, in which more than 17,000 kidnapping cases were reported. However, Palm said there are concerns that figures for kidnapping cases involving children may be higher, due to underreporting and a misclassification of cases, because SAPS does not publish separate figures for child abduction cases.

“Action Society will continue to hold law enforcement and the justice system accountable for protecting South Africa’s most vulnerable,” said Palm.